RFL appoint former Manchester United executive as CEO

Ian Nolan has been appointed as the new CEO of the Rugby Football League.

Love Rugby League can reveal that Nolan, who spent seven years as a senior executive at Manchester United, will join the organisation following the governing body’s long search to fill the role.

The role was previously held by Tony Sutton, while Rhodri Jones has been in the role on an interim basis, but it will now be taken on by Nolan, who left the Premier Club in October of last year.

Nolan was Chief Content Officer for the Red Devils and was responsible for overseeing the club’s growth across social media channels, as well as the club’s dedicated television channel, MUTV. He held the role from 2018 to 2025.

Before that, he spent over a decade at Yahoo, initially as a Senior Product Manager before being promoted to General Manager of Yahoo Sports. He was also Head of Digital at Motorsport Network before taking on his role in football with United. Since leaving his role with the Red Devils, Nolan has been Chief Marketing Officer for Science In Sport Group.

Nolan’s skillset is eye-catching given his digital background. The role was previously held by Sutton, who had a history in the finance sector, and before that Ralph Rimmer, who had a history in rugby league administration. Nolan’s qualities is notably different to those who have previously held the role.

He also does not have an obvious history in rugby league, something also different to Rimmer and Sutton, who had worked at clubs and the governing body before being promoted to the role.

Tony Mestrov, the former CEO of Manly Sea Eagles, had applied for the position, as well as two other people with a history in football, Maccabi Tel Aviv CEO Ben Mansford and Football Association of Ireland CEO Jonathan Hill.

Nigel Wood is back at the governing body after being appointed as chairman in March.