RFL confirm Championship & League 1 merger as 'enhanced attendances and finances' claim made
The Championship and League One competitions will be combined into a single division next year, the RFL have confirmed.
The announcement follows last month’s decision by clubs to expand Betfred Super League from 12 teams to 14 in 2026. The RFL say a “number of fixture formats are being developed”, but there will be no final announcement until after the number and identity of clubs in each of the two expanded competitions is confirmed, on Thursday, October 16.
The middle-eights tournament, involving the bottom four Championship teams and League One’s leading quartet, which had been scheduled for the end of this season, has been scrapped. The 2025 League One champions will receive £25,000, a trophy and medals, as promised at the start of the season. North Wales Crusaders are top of the table and could clinch the title if they beat Keighley Cougars in Colwyn Bay on Sunday.
The Championship play-offs will still take place, with the Grand Final winners receiving £100,000 and 0.25 club grading points. There are three rounds of the regular season remaining, with York Knights currently four points clear at the top of the table. Bradford Bulls and Toulouse Olympique, who are level on points in second and third, each have a match in hand and face each other at Odsal this Saturday.
Nigel Wood, who chaired the sport’s strategic review, said: “Following the decision of the Betfred Super League clubs that the elite competition should expand to 14 clubs in 2026, subject to conditions, this is a logical and equally exciting next step. The Championship and League One clubs have been extensively consulted and were virtually unanimous that the two divisional structure for the part-time game wasn’t working as well as it ought, particularly League One. It is a great credit to the Championship clubs that they recognised that position.
“There are so many historic and ambitious clubs outside the Super League and we believe this will not only enhance their attendances and finances, but also make them more attractive for investment. It will provide an attractive and compelling fixture list for all clubs outside Betfred Super League.”