The Northern Rail Nines is a rugby league nines tournament to be held in Blackpool as part of a celebration weekend encompassing the Northern Rail Cup Final.

The event will be supported by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), complementing a three-year £3.5million funding package to support a programme of signature events in Blackpool announced by the NWDA in June 2007.

Bringing together every English based Co-operative Championship and Championship 1 club, the weekend long event will see all sides not involved in the Northern Rail Cup Final enter full strength sides into the tournament that will be staged at Woodlands the home of Blackpool Panthers, on the weekend of 11 and 12 July.

The first day of the competition will see all 18 clubs playing in group stages, with the top eight sides going forward to a straight knock-out competition on the Sunday for the Northern Rail 9's trophy. Meanwhile the 10 remaining sides will also compete on the Sunday in a competition to win the Northern Rail 9's plate.

The finals of both the Northern Rail 9's trophy and plate will be played as curtain raisers to the 13-a-side Northern Rail Cup Final at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool.