League 1 club announce immediate withdrawal from RFL due to financial issues

League 1 club Cornwall have withdrawn from the Rugby Football League with immediate effect.

The Choughs were formed in 2021 when former Toronto Wolfpack man Eric Perez used the licence he had acquired to set up a club in Ottawa to instead base a new franchise in the south of England.

He sold Cornwall to businessman Ken Stone at the end of last year but now, the club have confirmed they will not be able to fulfil any more fixtures.

They have cited financial issues and a failure to secure overseas investment as the reason for their departure from the professional game.

They were due to play North Wales this weekend but that game will now not go ahead. It means the Cornwall experiment has now come crashing to a sudden and disappointing halt.

In a statement, the club said: “Regrettably, the club will be withdrawing from Betfred League 1 with immediate effect, with the recent match against Whitehaven its last.

“The scheduled fixture away to North Wales Crusaders on Sunday will not take place, nor will the club fulfill its remaining 2025 fixtures.

“The club’s current ownership group, who gained control of Cornwall RLFC back in November, immediately sought further investment to try and stabilise the club and to grow the game of rugby league in the Duchy, through a professional club.

“Significant progress was made with potential overseas investors to achieve this although sadly, due the current uncertainties in the United States of America, this has not been possible.

“The club have subsequently explored other avenues to secure required funding, but these have been extensively exhausted, leaving Cornwall RLFC with no option other than to withdraw immediately.

“Cornwall RLFC would like to place on record its thanks to the club’s players, coaching staff, officials, sponsors and fans for their unwavering support over the past four years. The club will be making no further comment on this matter.”

Cornwall had won one of their first three games at the start of the new 2025 League 1 season. It means the third tier is reduced to ten teams with immediate effect.

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