The CEO of Rugby League Commercial has provided an update on when terms for Super League promotion and relegation will be decided for the upcoming 2026 season.
Super League has expanded to 14 teams for the upcoming 2026 season with that decision somewhat circumventing the existing promotion and relegation method.
Promotion and relegation in the traditional sense doesn’t exist for Super League with 2025 marking the first official year when club’s IMG grades determined the composition of the top tier.
Wakefield Trinity earned ‘promotion’ from the Championship based on their IMG score, and it was expected that the imminent 2026 Super League would be confirmed the same way.
However, a mid-season shift to expand the competition to 14 teams, 12 of which were confirmed by IMG and a further two through an application process, has left plans for 2027 promotion and relegation up in the air.
Super League promotion and relegation talks scheduled
RL Commercial chief Rhodri Jones spoke to the media ahead of Thursday’s Super League fixture release to field questions about the upcoming season.
One of those was whether there was a confirmed plan for how promotion and relegation ahead of 2027 would work, with Jones confirming it is still to be determined.
He explained: “I think the stock answer there would be that it’s to be determined and I think it’s fair to say that that determination needs to happen before the start of any season next year.”
As for when, he added: “I think that’s something that will come over the next couple of weeks, months.”
He also noted that the next RFL Council meeting will be held on the 9th of December with “preparation in advance of that” and further discussions on promotion and relegation format at that meeting.
Jones also added that Super League’s decision to effectively circumvent IMG gradings when adding the two expansion teams hadn’t had any impact on the relationship with IMG, labelling it as “strong as it ever has been”.
“It’s never been as strong across a number of different work streams, broadcast, commercial, digital, calendar creation, calendar support. We’re starting 2027 calendar planning next week with them so, from our perspective, the relationship is very strong.”
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Eric T Cat
November 26, 2025 at 9:32 am
That’s the plan now, but by May it will be something else, back to 12 teams, August will see a new idea, two leagues of 8, and by October there will be a complete revision down to 10 teams, or a merger with club level Rugby Union to save both codes financially. A “commitment” from the RFL om league structure, promotion, relegation, grading, franchising, isn’t worth a brass farthing. If you want to know the structure for the 2027 season then a ouija board, casting runes, dream interpretation, or examining the entrails of a chicken are far more likely to yield an accurate result!
Whatever structure is picked will be to the benefit of four clubs, Wigan, St Helens, Leeds, Bradford, and will be a half baked ridiculous solution and not suit anyone or anything. Plus where’s the money coming from to pay for it, as the RFL will undoubtedly be getting even less money for the TV rights than they got back when Super League started, assuming they can get a TV deal. How much do they pay sponsors these days?