RFU poised to approve franchise-style Premiership overhaul

The Rugby Football Union is expected to ratify sweeping changes to the Gallagher Premiership at a council meeting on Friday, Sky Sports News understands. The proposed plan would convert the top tier into a franchise-style competition separate from the wider English league system and could see the league grow to as many as 20 teams by 2040.

Under the proposals, automatic promotion and relegation would end. The Premiership, currently made up of 10 clubs, would initially expand to 12 teams by 2030 with the potential for further growth if clubs satisfy agreed financial, commercial and on-field criteria. Rather than earning places through on-field promotion, clubs would be admitted by meeting those standards.

The revamp could also create a route back into the elite for clubs that folded during the 2022/23 season — Wasps, Worcester and London Irish — provided they meet the entry requirements. The RFU and Premiership Rugby say the new model is designed to attract fresh investment and provide greater financial stability for the sport.

Second-tier leaders Ealing Trailfinders were previously denied promotion under the current system after failing to meet Premiership criteria, most notably stadium capacity. The last automatic relegation from the Premiership occurred in 2020 when Saracens were dropped following a points deduction for salary-cap breaches; Saracens returned to the top flight in 2021.