After reports of a ground-breaking rule change that will allow long-serving stars to be exempt from the overseas quota from 2026, we’ve examined the Super League stars and clubs that look set to benefit.
As reported by Rugby League Live, from the 2026 season a law change will be implemented that any overseas player who has played in Super League for six or more consecutive years will be exempt from the the overseas quota.
Currently, Super League sides are allowed to have seven overseas players, or ‘non-federation-trained players’ in their squad, but this change would make long-serving players exempt from that, therefore allowing clubs to have more than seven players from outside the UK.
It had initially been reported that players would have to gain UK citizenship but that now reportedly won’t be part of the initiative, although it does look likely to be moved back to 2026 as opposed to being forced through for 2025.
The rules clearly state that players will only become exempt if they have played in Super League for six consecutive seasons, meaning a year in the Championship would make them ineligible. With the season delay in implementing the rule, it means when it is introduced in 2026, 15 players will be eligible provided they play in Super League in 2025.
Which Super League players and clubs will benefit from proposed law change?
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Whilst many of the 15 players that will become eligible in 2026 could well have left their current clubs by then, there are two top teams who look set to be massively boosted.
Ironically, they are the top two teams in Super League with Hull KR and Wigan Warriors likely to have two players exempt. For the Robins, second-rower Kelepi Tanginoa would become exempt whilst reported arrival Rhyse Martin is another after joining Leeds Rhinos in 2019.
Matt Parcell would also become exempt but he will leave the Robins at the end of the current season and has spoken about retirement, meaning he may well not be around for 2026. Another who could be retired by then is Wigan’s Willie Isa, who is also off contract at age 35.
By far, the biggest player on this list is Bevan French with the reigning Man of Steel set to be classed as exempt in what would be a massive boost for Wigan Warriors.
Wigan’s rivals St Helens would see Konrad Hurrell made exempt but his future is currently up in the air, as is Catalans’ Manu Ma’u, Hull FC’s Carlos Tuimavave and Warrington’s Josh Drinkwater.
All four men don’t currently have a deal for 2025 but would become exempt of the quota in 2026 should they remain in Super League, as do some of their contracted teammates.
Catalans’ Chris Satae, Hull FC’s Ligi Sao and recent Warrington Wolves signing Luke Yates would all fall into that category, whilst Huddersfield duo Tui Lolohea and Seb Ikahihifo, and Castleford’s Jacob Miller are the final names to make up the 15.
One very interesting angle of this new rule would be how teams approach signing young overseas players like Wigan did with Bevan French. Perhaps more teams will gamble on 21 and 22-year-old talents from down under in the knowledge that they’d be exempt from the quota when they reached their prime years.
All 15 Super League players who would become quota exempt for 2026
Chris Satae (Catalans Dragons)
Manu Ma’u (Catalans Dragons)
Jacob Miller (Castleford Tigers)
Tui Lolohea (Huddersfield Giants)
Seb Ikahihifo (Huddersfield Giants)
Carlos Tuimavave (Hull FC)
Ligi Sao (Hull FC)
Kelepi Tanginoa (Hull KR)
Matt Parcell (Hull KR)
Rhyse Martin (Leeds Rhinos)
Konrad Hurrell (St Helens)
Josh Drinkwater (Warrington Wolves)
Luke Yates (Warrington Wolves)
Bevan French (Wigan Warriors)
Willie Isa (Wigan Warriors)
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