Super League financial losses revealed in eye-watering club-by-club breakdown

Aaron Bower 02 Apr 2025 6:30 AM

Super League owners are losing millions every year.

Super League finances are firmly on the agenda once again, following the return of Nigel Wood as interim Rugby Football League chair and an impending review into the sport.

The issue has been amplified in recent weeks further by comments from St Helens owner Eamonn McManus, who insisted the changes are necessary to prevent owners losing millions of pounds year in, year out.

And it would appear that McManus is not wrong. Here are how the 11 current English Super League clubs performed in the financial year of 2023 – with some pretty worrying numbers..

Castleford Tigers

The losses at Castleford Tigers ran into six figures for their year-end November 2023 accounts. That loss was officially £515,427. Significant: but not as bad as what will follow around the competition..

Huddersfield Giants

Huddersfield, on the bottom line of their accounts at least, are a real anomaly: they posted a profit of £3,273,812 for the year ending November 2023.

The explanation for that may be further within the detail. Their accounts show that they have reduced creditors – money owed to external bodies – by a similar amount, with that total falling from £22.1million to £19.3million.

Hull FC

Hull’s 2023 accounts posted a loss just shy of £1million: £977,764.

Hull KR

While Rovers were one of a large number of Super League sides to post significant losses for the year-end 2023, theirs are not quite as severe as others around the competition.

Rovers posted a loss of £366,578.

Leeds Rhinos

Leeds increased their turnover in the last full financial year on record to £11.6million – an increase of 0.5% from 2022.

However, their loss after tax increased to an eye-watering £1,500,773 – up from the previous year.

Leigh Leopards

Leigh are in the minority of clubs who posted a profit in their most recently-viewable accounts. Those are the year ending November 2023, which means it includes their historic Challenge Cup win and their return to Super League.

Their profit and loss reserves show a profit for the year of £2,165,149.

Salford Red Devils

The club’s parent company, Salford City Reds 2013 Limited, also posted a significant loss in its 2013 accounts.

That number ran to a loss of £396,175.

St Helens

The Saints’ most recent accounts available to view, ending in October 2023, include a Super League Grand Final victory and a World Club Challenge triumph.

But that success does not help their balance sheet: far from it, in fact. The Saints posted the biggest losses in Super League – an operating loss of £2,205,612: perhaps underlining why their owner, Eamonn McManus, has been so outspoken.

Wakefield Trinity

2023 was a turbulent year for Wakefield, with stadium renovation off the field, relegation on it and a takeover led by Matt Ellis at the end of the year.

Their most recent accounts, ending in November 2023, show an operating profit – before interest and tax deductions – of £1,492,696.