| 1996 State of Origin series | |
|---|---|
| Won by |  New South Wales (7th title) |
| Series margin | 3 - 0 |
| Points scored | 73 |
| Attendance | 119,520 (ave. 39,840 per match) |
| Player of the series | Geoff Toovey |
| Top points scorer(s) | Andrew Johns (16) |
| Top try scorer(s) | Brett Mullins (3) |
The 1996 State of Origin series saw the 15th time that the annual three-game series between the Queensland and New South Wales representative rugby league football teams was contested entirely under 'state of origin' selection rules. This series saw the return to representative football of players who had signed with Super League, after a court decision had delayed the beginning of Super League until at least 2000. As a result, both teams were back to full strength, and a new record was set for the highest State of Origin crowd at the Sydney Football Stadium.
New South Wales were able to bounce back from the 3 - 0 whitewash of the 1995 Series and win the 1996 series 3 - 0, reversing the result of the previous year. The first send off in Origin history occurred in 1996 and New South Wales made further history as the first side to go through a complete series without a player change.