May 25, 2026 — 9:29amAndrew Abdo has resigned as NRL chief executive, with ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys set to be installed as interim CEO.Abdo will step aside from one of Australian sport’s most coveted roles after a six-year tenure in which rugby league has enjoyed record crowds and TV ratings, as well as undertaking landmark expansion projects in Papua New Guinea and Perth.Andrew Abdo and Peter V’landys.Getty ImagesSources, speaking on the condition of anonymity given that an announcement on Abdo’s future is yet to be officially made, have indicated that he is poised to join Tennis Australia.Abdo’s decision comes as the NRL conducts critical negotiations around its next broadcast cycle, which expires after the 2027 season.The South African-born administrator has led the game in conjunction with V’landys since April 2020, with Abdo taking charge from predecessor Todd Greenberg during the game’s enforced hiatus at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.Abdo, V’landys, the NRL, and Tennis Australia have been contacted for comment.A move by V’landys to take on both roles in Abdo’s absence would mirror the dual roles held temporarily by former ARLC chair John Grant when NRL chief executive David Smith in 2015.If V’landys is installed as acting CEO, he would likely take leave from his role as CEO of Racing NSW.More to come.Neil Breen is the national sports editor and a Walkley Award-winning journalist.Connect via X.Chris Barrett is a senior sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald. He is a former South-East Asia correspondent for the Herald and The Age.Connect via X or email.Dan Walsh is a sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.From our partners