Rugby Football League confirm League One update with club’s membership terminated

The Rugby Football League have provided an update on how League One will be run for the remainder of 2025 after a club’s recent withdrawal.

Rugby League was dealt another blow in its hopes and ambitions to expand beyond the heartlands when Cornwall RLFC confirmed their intent to immediately dissolve at the start of April.

Cornwall released a statement to confirm their immediate withdrawal from the competition with the club unable to secure funding, making them the latest in a string of League One clubs to fold.

Previously, West Wales Raiders and London Skolars went under and Newcastle Thunder threatened the same before managing to secure funding to continue.

However, Cornwall have sadly fallen by the wayside and the RFL have now confirmed how the remainder of the League One season will play out and what will happen in regards to their earlier season results, whilst also confirming that Cornwall’s membership of the RFL has been “terminated”.

League One plans confirmed by Rugby Football League after Cornwall’s withdrawal

In a brief statement shared on the governing body’s website and a by a number of the other members of League One, the RFL announced their plans moving forward.

The statement read: “The RFL Board have accepted a recommendation from the Executive following Cornwall’s withdrawal from Betfred League One on April 2.

“The results of the three fixtures they played have been expunged, and League One has become a 10-team competition, with each club playing the other nine at home and away to produce an 18-round fixture list.

“As previously, the team finishing top of the table will receive the League Leaders’ Shield and prize money – although there will be no automatic promotion to the 2026 Betfred Championship, with the top four clubs joining the bottom four from this season’s Championship in a Middle Eights competition.

“Cornwall’s membership of the RFL has been terminated.”