Newcastle City Council is "disappointed" that Magic Weekend will not return to Newcastle next year - but remain confident that the city will host the event again.

The Super League's annual event has been held at St James' Park seven times since 2015.

The stadium hosted the event between 2015 and 2018, before it moved onto Anfield in Liverpool in 2019. The Magic Weekend returned to St James' Park in 2021 and remained in the Toon during 2022 and 2023.

However the next Magic Weekend will take place at Elland Road in Leeds. It will take place between August 17 and August 19, 2024, which will be during the Premier League season.

All six fixtures will be shown on Sky Sports, following the announcement of a three-year broadcast deal.

Coun Alex Hay, Cabinet member for a Thriving City at Newcastle City Council, said: "Naturally we are disappointed Magic Weekend won't be returning to Newcastle next year.

"We have taken great pride in hosting the rugby league event in our city for the past three years. It has consistently provided a memorable weekend for both supporters and our residents.

"I am sure rugby league fans will have a great time at Elland Road. We have a fantastic relationship with the Super League and remain confident our city will host the event again in the future."

The Yorkshire stadium becomes the sixth venue for the Magic Weekend since its inception back in 2007.

Many people see St James' Park as the unofficial home of the event - due to the sheer number of times Newcastle has hosted it.

People travelled from far and wide to watch the six fixtures at St James' Park in June this year. There was an attendance of 36,943 on the Saturday (June 3) and 26,369 on the Sunday (June 4).

Many Rugby League fans have shared their disappointment on social media. One person posted on X: "Tragic not Magic. RIP Magic Weekend" while another said: "The fall of The Magic Weekend starts now."