Super League to expand in 2026 with unique method to choose new clubs unveiled

Super League will become a 14-team competition in 2026 after clubs agreed to expand as early as next season in a groundbreaking development for British rugby league – but an independent panel will chose the 13th and 14th teams.

The clubs met at AMT Headingley on Monday afternoon for a presentation by Nigel Wood and his strategic review group. Former RFL employee Robert Hicks was among those in that group who were present.

From there, clubs voted on whether or not they felt the time was right to increase the competition with immediate effect from the beginning of next season or whether to wait until the start of the 2027 campaign, by which time a new broadcast deal for the sport would have been agreed.

Wood’s review presented and outlined the material benefits of 14 teams next year and how it could put the competition in a stronger position to negotiate a bigger broadcast deal.

However, one significant motivation behind the expansion decision was the fear that with IMG’s gradings still in place for next year, Toulouse could come into Super League and potentially replace Salford, meaning two French teams in a 12-team league.

That would lead to fewer commercial and financial opportunities for English Super League clubs, plus the fact that French supporters traditionally do not contribute big subscription numbers to Sky Sports.

However, the devil is in the detail with the expansion – with two different methods of selection comprising the 14 teams who will play in Super League in 2026.

IMG gradings will dictate the 12 highest clubs, and they will automatically be granted access to Super League in 2026 when this year’s gradings are published.

However, an independent panel will be put together that will include Wood’s strategic review sub-committee – and they will decide the other two clubs from outside the top 12 in the gradings model.

Clubs including London Broncos, York Knights, Bradford Bulls – the club Wood was chair of up until earlier this year – and Oldham have all made no secret of their desire to be playing in Super League in 2026. They will now be able to put a case forward to a panel.

In a statement, Super League said: “The 12 existing Betfred Super League clubs have today voted to extend the competition to 14 teams for the 2026 season, subject to conditions.

“This would be done by combining the Club Grading System introduced to determine Super League membership as part of the sport’s long-term strategic partnership with IMG in 2022, with an independent panel to be chaired by Lord Jonathan Caine, who was recently elected as a member of the Rugby Football League Board, and the Strategic Review Sub-Committee.

“The top 12 clubs under grading at the conclusion of the 2025 domestic season will therefore be joined by two clubs recommended by that panel – provided the panel judges there are two applications of sufficient merit against the set criteria.

“Further details of the composition of the panel and the timing of the process will be confirmed in due course.”