Grand Final to be staged in Hull on a Friday night

The final has been held at the home of Manchester United since its inception in 1998 but has been moved due to the football club's Champions League fixtures and will instead be played at Hull's KCOM Stadium on Friday, November 27, with an 8pm kick-off.

As with last Saturday's Challenge Cup final at Wembley, the game's other showpiece occasion will be played behind closed doors due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Super League executive chairman Robert Elstone said: "It's unfortunate that the Covid-affected fixture schedules, of both Manchester United and Super League, mean that despite our best efforts we have had to find an alternative to the only home the Super League Grand Final has ever known."

Super League ruled out extending the season still further and Elstone said the timing of the Champions League fixtures also ruled out a number of alternative venues.

He also said budget and prestige were other factors which led them to the KCOM Stadium, which will be a neutral venue.

"We need to finish our season by the end of next month so we had that as a deadline and we waited nervously for Manchester United to get first of all its Premier League fixture list and then its Champions League fixture list," Elstone told Sky Sports.

"A combination of all that meant Old Trafford wasn't available to us, we just couldn't find a solution to make it stick.

"We did look at many alternatives and, of a number of criteria, availability was the most important one.

"Champions League football meant that a lot of North West venues were not available but in our view the KCOM is absolutely the right choice for us.

"We will miss Old Trafford. Most of all we all will miss the nerve-jangling atmosphere created by 70,000 fans.

"For the first time in our history, the Super League season will reach its thrilling conclusion on a Friday night.

"We are excited about the new kick-off time. Friday nights have always featured strongly in the rugby league calendar.

"We set the bar high last year with a record television audience and we are confident that the 2020 Super League Grand Final at the KCOM will build on that success, writing another exciting chapter in the Grand Final's proud and compelling history."