RFL make Salford Red Devils announcement call as fresh twist in saga appears

The Rugby Football League have confirmed that no decision will be made yet on who has succeeded in the race to own Salford Red Devils in 2026.

After the club went into liquidation earlier this month, three parties submitted bids to try and secure the Red Devils’ playing licence and ensure they will compete in the Championship in 2026.

Initially, the RFL declared Wednesday 17 December as the date where a board meeting would determine the successful bidder, while also promising a decision would be announced that day, too.

But the deadline will now come and go without any announcement after the governing body revealed they were still engaging in due diligence processes with all three parties.

It is believed that talks are continuing with Salford City Council over a possible stadium agreement with the parties, with no consortia yet to secure a guaranteed deal for the venue, and the RFL keen to ensure that any new Salford club and its ownership group have a water-tight agreement on stadia.

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In a short statement, the governing body said: “The RFL can confirm that it is continuing to work alongside three interested parties in relation to Salford Red Devils.

“A due diligence process is currently place and the RFL and Salford City Council are working closely together to ensure each submission is financially sustainable before a final decision is made.”

Three parties, as mentioned, are hoping to secure the licence for the Red Devils. One is being led by the club’s former CEO Chris Irwin, who left earlier this year after a short spell in the role after being brought in by Salford’s previous ownership group.

Another is being spearheaded by ex-Red Devils winger Mason Caton-Brown and is being backed by local businessmen while the third consortia is slightly less well-known, though it is believed to include Tracy Atiga, a known associate of the previous owners.

Salford are scheduled to begin their Championship campaign in just 30 days – meaning there will now be under a month for any successful consortia to put together a playing squad and coaching staff from scratch.