The NRL Grand Final is on Sunday 4 October 2026 at Accor Stadium, and Canterbury-Bankstown takes it more personally than most of Sydney. This is Bulldogs country, the club's name carries the district, and rugby league has been played at Belmore Sports Ground since 1936.
If you are not at the stadium, here are the best places to watch the grand final across the Canterbury-Bankstown region, from a proper sit-down dinner with the game on to the big clubs with a screen on every wall.
Grand Final Weekend at a Glance
| What | When |
|---|---|
| AFL Grand Final, MCG | Saturday 26 September, first bounce 2:30pm |
| NRLW Grand Final, Accor Stadium | Sunday 4 October, 4:00pm |
| NRL Grand Final, Accor Stadium | Sunday 4 October, listed from 6:30pm with pre-game entertainment |
| Daylight saving starts | Sunday 4 October, 2:00am. Clocks go forward an hour |
| Labour Day public holiday | Monday 5 October |
The last line is the good news. Grand final Sunday falls on the October long weekend, so nobody has to be at work the next morning.
The Best Places to Watch the Grand Final in Bankstown
1. Elements Brasserie, Belmore
At 721a Canterbury Road in Belmore, right in the middle of the Canterbury-Bankstown region, Elements Brasserie is screening the NRL Grand Final live, with the screens on for the whole game. It is a charcoal steakhouse, so grand final night comes with a proper meal off the grill rather than a pie at half time, and a table you can actually keep.
The drinks deal is simple: 5 Coronas for $35 during the broadcast. Grand final Sunday is also the last day of Oktoberfest at the Brasserie, which is why the offer runs across the game. Full details are on the NRL Grand Final event page.
For a bigger crew, the private Garden Room seats up to 70 and the whole venue takes up to 120 seated. Groups of ten or more should use the group booking form or call 1300 353 636 rather than booking online, and dietary requirements need to go in with the booking, because set menus are prepared ahead on a full service. There is dog-friendly outdoor seating as well.
It takes the top spot because it is the one room on this list built around eating well while you watch. The clubs below win on screens and scale. The Brasserie wins if you want to sit down, eat properly and hear the person next to you at half time.
2. Bankstown Sports Club, Greenfield Parade
One of the biggest clubs in Sydney, at 8 Greenfield Parade. The Basement Brewhouse is its sports bar, with more than forty screens across the venue carrying Foxtel, Optus Sport and free-to-air, and it is 18+ from 5pm.
Around it sit a long list of restaurants, from Marrow and Co. for steak to the LadyBanks Rooftop, which makes it easy to eat somewhere quieter before the game and then head downstairs for kick-off. Go here if you want the grand final with a few hundred other people.
3. Bankstown RSL, Meredith Street
At 1 Meredith Street in the Bankstown town centre, the RSL runs live sport across the club alongside dining at The Glass House and kickin inn. It is the easy walk-up option if you are already in the centre of town, and it has the community feel you would expect from a suburban RSL on a big footy night.
4. Canterbury League Club, Belmore
At 26 Bridge Road, Belmore, a few minutes from the old Bulldogs home ground. The Bulldogs Sports Bar is set up for exactly this kind of night, with the club's bistro, bars and restaurants around it. If the history of the district matters to you on grand final day, this is where it lives.
Both the clubs will publish their own grand final plans closer to the day, so check their sites for entry, bookings and any members' conditions before you go.
Why Canterbury-Bankstown Takes This Game Personally
Belmore Sports Ground was the home of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs from 1936 until 1998. It holds around 19,000 people, the club has returned for selected NRL games since 2015, and NRLW matches have been played there since 2023.
That is close to ninety years of rugby league in one district. Whoever runs out at Accor Stadium on 4 October, you will feel that history in every room across Bankstown with the game on.
The AFL Grand Final Comes First
Before the NRL, the AFL Grand Final is on Saturday 26 September at the MCG, with coverage from 2:00pm and the first bounce at 2:30pm AEST. Kylie Minogue headlines the pre-match entertainment.
Elements Brasserie is screening that one too, with the screens on for the whole game and the same 5 Coronas for $35. The AFL Grand Final event page has the details.
Grand Final Day Tips
Book now. Grand final Sunday on a long weekend is one of the busiest nights of the year for any venue with a screen. Walking in at kick-off is a gamble you will probably lose.
Mind the clocks. Daylight saving starts at 2:00am on grand final Sunday. Your phone will update itself; the oven, the car and your mate who always runs late will not.
Getting around. The T3 line between Sydenham and Bankstown is closed while it is converted to metro, so there are no trains through Belmore or the stations in between. Fare-free Southwest Link buses run the corridor instead, and parking around Canterbury Road is far easier than anywhere near the stadium. Check Transport for NSW for the current timetable before you head out.
Watch the NRLW too. The NRLW Grand Final is at 4:00pm, before the men's game. It is a genuine double header, and arriving for it is also the easiest way to lock in a good table for the main event.
NRL Grand Final 2026: Common Questions
When is the NRL Grand Final 2026?
Sunday 4 October 2026 at Accor Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park. The NRLW Grand Final starts at 4:00pm and the stadium lists the NRL Grand Final from 6:30pm, with pre-game entertainment before kick-off. Check the broadcaster's guide on the day for the exact start.
Where can I watch the NRL Grand Final in Bankstown?
For a sit-down meal with the game on, Elements Brasserie on Canterbury Road in Belmore is screening the whole game with 5 Coronas for $35. For a big club atmosphere, Bankstown Sports Club's Basement Brewhouse has more than forty screens, and Bankstown RSL and Canterbury League Club both screen live sport.
Is the NRL Grand Final on a long weekend?
Yes. Monday 5 October 2026 is the Labour Day public holiday in New South Wales, so grand final Sunday sits on the October long weekend.
Does daylight saving start on grand final day?
Yes. Daylight saving begins at 2:00am on Sunday 4 October, when clocks go forward one hour. Double check any booking or kick-off times against the new time.
Can I book a big group to watch the grand final?
Yes. At Elements Brasserie, groups of ten or more should use the group booking form or call 1300 353 636, and the private Garden Room seats up to 70. Give dietary requirements when you book so the kitchen can plan around them.
Is anywhere in Bankstown showing the AFL Grand Final?
Yes. Elements Brasserie in Belmore is screening the AFL Grand Final on Saturday 26 September for the whole game, with the same Corona offer, and the big clubs carry AFL across their screens as well.
Book Your Grand Final Table
Big screens, a charcoal grill, cold Coronas and a district that has cared about rugby league for almost a century. If you want to watch the grand final in Bankstown from a proper table rather than a crowded bar, book early.
Book through the Elements Brasserie booking page or call 1300 ELEMENTS (1300 353 636).
Parking and directions are on the Elements Brasserie contact page.
For the rest of the long weekend, see things to do in Belmore.
