Championship adopts complex 10-team play-off system for 2026 as new format outlined

The RFL have confirmed a brand new play-off format for the Championship in 2026, with 10 clubs set to be involved over a five-week period at the end of the season.

Ahead of 2026, the Championship and League 1 have merged to form one bumper competition operating at second tier level as the only ‘professional’ division below Super League.

21 clubs had been set to form part of the Championship, but after Featherstone Rovers were not granted their RFL membership amid ongoing financial issues, it will instead comprise of 20 teams.

Accordingly, half of the teams in the second tier will be involved in the play-off system, which we’ve outlined below to the best of our abilities…

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Week 1 – Byes for the top two

• 1st and 2nd

No game, proceed straight through to Week 2

• 3rd vs 5th (Qualifying semi-final 1)
• 4th v 6th (Qualifying semi-final 2)

The winners of the two qualifying semi-finals move on while the losers still get another chance.

• 7th vs 10th (Eliminator 1)
• 8th v 9th (Eliminator 2)
• Win one of these eliminators and you stay alive. Lose and you’re out.

Week 2 – Top two enter play-offs

• 1st vs highest-ranked week 1 qualifying semi-final winner (Qualifying final 1)
• 2nd v lowest-ranked week 1 qualifying semi-final winner (Qualifying final 2)

The winners of these two qualifying finals move on to the semi-finals. The losers aren’t out of the play-offs, but are now under sudden death pressure.

• Highest-ranked week 1 qualifying semi-final loser v lowest-ranked week 1 eliminator winner (elimination final 1)
• Lowest-ranked week 1 qualifying semi-final loser v highest-ranked week 1 eliminator winner (elimination final 2)

The winners of these two elimination finals progress, while the season is over for the losers.

Week 3: Straight knockouts begin

• Winners of week 2’s qualifying finals 1 and 2

No game, proceed straight into the week four, where they will be rewarded with a home tie

• Highest-ranked loser of week 2’s qualifying finals v lowest-ranked winner of week 2’s elimination finals (Sudden death play-off 1)
• Lowest-ranked loser of week 2’s qualifying finals v Highest-ranked winner of week 2’s elimination finals (Sudden death play-off 2)

The sudden death play-offs are a straight shootout to progress into week four.

Week 4: Semi-finals

• Highest-ranked winner of week 2’s qualifying finals v Lowest-ranked winner of week 3’s sudden death play-offs (preliminary final 1)
• Lowest-ranked winner of week 2’s qualifying finals v Highest-ranked winner of week 3’s sudden death play-offs (preliminary final 2)

These are both straight shootouts to progress into week 5’s Grand Final.

Week 5: Grand Final

• Highest-ranked winner of week 4’s preliminary finals v Lowest-ranked winner of week 4’s preliminary finals (Grand Final)

The showpiece. This will decide who the champions of the Championship are in 2026 and will take place during the weekend of October 10/11.