NRL Grand Final lifts Australian online spending & searches
Fri, 9th Oct 2026 (Today)
Adobe Digital Insights reported that online spending and search activity rose in Australia around the NRL Grand Final weekend. Its data also showed a year-on-year increase in searches for motor neurone disease.
The figures point to a broader lift in consumer activity tied to the footy finals season, spanning merchandise, home entertainment equipment, food, drink and cleaning products.
Supporters spent more as they prepared to watch the decider at home with friends and family. Compared with average August levels, online purchases over the Grand Final weekend increased for pizza, sausages and beef patties, corn chips and dip, and beer.
Pizza spending rose 28%, while spending on sausages and beef patties climbed 26%. Corn chips and dip were up 23%, beer rose 18%, and soft drinks increased 5%.
Households also spent more on bigger-ticket items linked to home viewing. Spending on TVs was 21% above average August levels, while spending on screens overall rose 17%.
The broader screens category included streaming devices, up 11%, and projectors, up 12%. There was also stronger spending on items linked to outdoor hosting, with outdoor BBQs, grills and smokers up 29%, small kitchen appliances up 33%, outdoor furniture up 12% and cookware up 8%.
Cleaning products were also part of the pre- and post-match spending pattern. Online spending on cleaning supplies, including vacuum cleaners, mops and brooms, was 26% above average August levels.
Merchandise demand
Retail traffic tied to club loyalty also climbed sharply. Online traffic for NRL team merchandise rose 37% from a year earlier and was 158% above average August levels over the Grand Final weekend.
The data suggests fans were not only buying food and household goods but also spending to show support for their teams. Activity across the finals period reflected repeated spending around major sporting occasions.
MND interest
Search traffic for motor neurone disease rose 23% year on year over the Grand Final weekend. The increase followed public attention on Jai Arrow and Nathan Charles, who were both diagnosed with the disease this year.
The shift in search traffic stood apart from the retail trends, showing how a major sporting event can influence information-seeking behaviour as well as spending patterns.
AI prompts
Adobe also tracked fan activity through prompt data from its Firefly generative AI tool. Rugby-related prompts rose through the finals series and reached 154% above the 2026 average in Grand Final week.
That followed an increase of 50% above the 2026 average in the week of 14 September and 141% above average in the week of 21 September. Team-specific prompt activity also rose, with prompts related to the Knights up 94% in the week of the final from the previous week, while Roosters-related prompts increased 117%.
The data was drawn from Adobe Analytics, which tracks hundreds of millions of transactions and visits to Australian retail sites each month. Adobe also tracks online prices for 100 million stock-keeping units across multiple product categories.
Vivek Pandya, Director of Adobe Digital Insights, said the trend extended beyond a single match weekend and reflected consumer behaviour around several sporting moments.
"The NRL Grand Final capped off a strong Footy Finals season that has seen Australians consistently spend around the moments that bring them together. Across the NFL's Australian debut and the AFL and NRL Grand Finals, we've seen consumers invest in everything from team merchandise and TVs to food, drinks and backyard entertaining.
"For retailers, the opportunity is to anticipate the full occasion. Understanding how and when customers are preparing for major sporting and cultural events can help retailers connect the right experiences to the right customers in the moment."