Rugby Football League confirm losses of over £500,000 for 2024

The Rugby Football League have confirmed losses before tax of over £500,000 for their settled 2024 accounts.

Rugby League is a sport where finances generally make bleak reading with a number of clubs having gone under in recent years, including League One Cornwall earlier this year.

However, the confirmed loss before tax of £507,000 is actually within the planned and budgeted loss that the sport’s governing body had accounted for.

It’s been confirmed that the RFL board had budgeted for losses of £800,000, meaning the loss of £507,000 is actually far better than expected.

A full statement was released by the RFL and confirmed further details with the accounts circulated to members of the Rugby League Council ahead of next month’s Annual General Meeting.

It opened: “The RFL has today circulated its group consolidated accounts for 2024 showing a loss before tax of £507,000.”

They also confirmed that the sale of the lease of Odsal Stadium will boost the 2025 accounts considerably, having initially been expected for 2024 which is another reason for positivity despite the recorded losses.

Rugby Football League share reasons to be positive despite £500,000 loss

The statement explained: “The Board and Executive team had budgeted to make a planned loss of £800,000 for 2024, which at that point included a write-down in the value of Odsal Stadium – however this was recognised in 2023, resulting in an improved outcome for 2024.

“The sale of the lease of Odsal Stadium to the Bradford Bulls was completed in January 2025, and the transaction will therefore be included in the 2025 accounts.”

Explaining why there had been a planned loss, the RFL revealed investment plans in ‘key areas’ in order to “bolster governance and facilitate future revenue growth”.

The forecasted growth should allow fort more investment whilst the aggregate cash balance improved to also highlight the positive financial situation.

As explained by the RFL statement: “Underpinning long-term financial sustainability, the RFL’s aggregate cash balance increased from £5.911m in 2023 to £6.118m in 2024 as a result of strong treasury management.”

Turnover did fall by approximately £1.5 million but that was as a result of losing more than £1.5 million in grants from Sport England, a result of “cyclical variation”.

There was also a significant reduction in administrative costs with payments to or on behalf of clubs and other member organisations falling from £5.885m to £5.724m.

The July RFL Council meeting will also see the five non-executive directors, appointed earlier this year, seek election until March 2026.