| 1986 State of Origin series | |
|---|---|
| Won by |  New South Wales (2nd title) |
| Series margin | 3-0 |
| Points scored | 116 |
| Attendance | 94,840 (ave. 31,613 per match) |
| Top points scorer(s) | Michael O'Connor (22) |
| Top try scorer(s) | Michael O'Connor, Wayne Pearce  Dale Shearer (2) |
The 1986 State of Origin series was the fifth year that the annual three-match series between New South Wales and Queensland was contested entirely under "state of origin" selection rules. It was the year that New South Wales finally asserted some dominance and won the series in the first ever 3-0 Origin whitewash. It was an inauspicious introduction to Origin coaching for Wayne Bennett who soon afterwards began plotting a reversal of fortunes that would lead to a pending period of Queensland dominance.