North Wales saved by new owners but hit with hefty points deduction

North Wales Crusaders have been taken over by a new ownership group – but they have been hit with a significant 12-point deduction as a result that sends them to the bottom of the Championship.

Crusaders have been beset by financial issues in the early part of the season with their players routinely not paid and their owners facing significant backlash over their handling of the club. Many of their squad have now departed for pastures new.

But their game at Goole will go ahead this weekend after the RFL confirmed they had approved the takeover of a new ownership group who have taken on the Crusaders’ playing licence. That group is called NW Rugby League 26 Limited.

But with the club facing an insolvency event and a takeover mid-season, they have been hit with the same sanction as Halifax Panthers: a 12-point deduction. They now go beneath the Panthers on the Championship table.

Furthermore, the new owners have to prove their long-term sustainability at the end of this season to ensure entry into the 2027 Championship season, with the membership only for the rest of this year.

In a statement, they said:  “The RFL Board terminated the club’s membership on May 6 due to an ‘Insolvency Event’ as per its Articles of Association.

“The RFL Board can confirm a new ownership group, under the company name NW Rugby League 26 Limited, have received approval to take on the membership for the club until the end of the current season.

“As per terms of entry, the new club will operate within a sustainability player cap and be sanctioned with a 12-point deduction applied to the 2026 Championship table.

“In addition, last weekend’s unfulfilled fixture at Doncaster RLFC has now been awarded as a 48-0 win to Doncaster.  Due to that game being postponed, North Wales’ planned home fixture with those opponents will now be reversed and played, instead, at Doncaster.  North Wales’ previous results will all stand.

“The new club will have dispensation to sign up to ten loan players and will also be under an obligation to work closely with the RFL under its financial sustainability regulations.

“Membership is for the remainder of the 2026 season only. Any future participation is conditional on a comprehensive business plan being provided to the governing body before being admitted for the 2027 fixture list.”