Super League to be expanded to 14 clubs in 2026: meeting in Leeds approves controversial move
Super League will be expanded to 14 teams next season.
Clubs voted in favour of increasing the competition during a meeting at Leeds Rhinos’ AMT Headingley today (Monday). There will be no automatic promotion and relegation based on this season’s finishing positions; instead the make up of the top-flight will be decided by a combination of IMG gradings and applications approved by an ‘independent panel’.
The move comes despite concerns over the quality of the competition and the depth of the available player pool. The RFL had already confirmed clubs will be allowed 10 overseas players from next year, up three on this season’s quota.
Yorkshire clubs Bradford Bulls and York Knights will be among contenders to make the step up from the Championship, along with the likes of French outfit Toulouse and London Broncos, who are now controlled by outgoing Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington.
More than three clubs could be promoted if any of the existing top-flight sides don’t qualify under the grading system, with cash-strapped Salford Red Devils in most danger. The expansion will mean an end to ‘loop fixtures’ where teams play some opponents three times in a season. The fixture list is likely to remain at 27 games, with sides facing each other home and away, plus Magic Weekend.
A statement from RL Commercial said: “The 12 existing Betfred Super League clubs have today voted to extend the competition to 14 teams for the 2026 season, subject to conditions. This would be done by combining the club grading system introduced to determine Super League membership as part of the sport’s long-term strategic partnership with IMG in 2022, with an independent panel to be chaired by Lord Jonathan Caine, who was recently elected as a member of the Rugby Football League board and the strategic review sub-committee. The top 12 clubs under grading at the conclusion of the 2025 domestic season will therefore be joined by two clubs recommended by that panel, provided the panel judges there are two applications of sufficient merit against the set criteria.”
It continued: “Further details of the composition of the panel and the timing of the process will be confirmed in due course. The Super League clubs have the right to determine the number of the clubs in the competition. The possibility of immediate expansion to 14 clubs was one of a number of options put to a meeting of the existing 12 clubs at AMT Headingley on Monday afternoon.”