The Super League’s club grading system set to star amid new expansion plans.
The Betfred Super League is set to expand to 14 clubs in time for the 2026 season, following a vote held between all 12 existing sides.
The vote, which occurred on July 28, falls against the backdrop of rugby league quietly becoming one of the most commercially driven sports in the UK
The clubs were given the option of waiting until 2027, but decided to push ahead sooner rather than later.
Why the rush? Broadcasting.
Super League’s current TV rights deal expires at the end of 2026 and negotiations for the next cycle will kick off the same year. A bigger, more nationally diverse 14-team league could make for a stronger pitch to broadcasters.
This is one of the strategies put forward by Nigel Wood, Chair of Rugby League Commercial and his ‘review group’ ahead of the vote.
Meritocracy or market appeal?
It’s not just the decision to expand that signals Super League’s commercial ambitions; it’s how clubs will be chosen for promotion.
In most English sports, especially football, promotion and relegation are sacred. Perform well and you go up a tier, unlocking better financial rewards, bigger audiences and a step closer to national success. Perform poorly, and you’re relegated, often with real consequences for club finances and fans.
It’s a system rooted in sporting merit, with even the smallest clubs able to dream of climbing the pyramid, provided they put in the time, performances and investment.
Major American sports leagues like the NFL or NBA operate on a franchise model. These leagues don’t allow for relegation and often share revenue more equally among teams. This helps level the playing field and avoids dominant dynasties.
Franchises can also be moved between cities if the league sees a better commercial opportunity elsewhere, suggesting decisions are made as much for business logic as sporting reasons.
The Super League sits somewhere in the middle.
Clubs are still independent as there’s no franchise fee, no central ownership and no permanent place guaranteed. However, unlike football, league status isn’t purely based on your performance.
For the 2026 season, the league will decide which two additional clubs join the top flight, and that decision won’t come down to position alone.
“This would be done by combining the Club Grading System introduced to determine Super League membership as part of the sport’s long-term strategic partnership with IMG in 2022, with an independent panel to be chaired by Lord Jonathan Caine, who was recently elected as a member of the Rugby Football League Board, and the Strategic Review Sub-Committee,” a Super League (Europe) statement read.
“The top 12 clubs under grading at the conclusion of the 2025 domestic season will therefore be joined by two clubs recommended by that panel – provided the panel judges there are two applications of sufficient merit against the set criteria.”
The IMG grading system
This new approach was introduced in 2022, when the Rugby Football League entered a strategic partnership with global media giant IMG. The deal aimed to modernise the sport and improve its commercial appeal and the grading system is central to that vision.
The grading system evaluates every club on a range of factors, both on and off the field. It looks at recent competitive performance, but also considers the size and engagement of a club’s fanbase, financial health, stadium infrastructure, and community impact.
Each club receives a total score out of 20.
While official grading results will ultimately determine the final decision, several clubs outside the top tier are already positioning themselves.
London Broncos, recently relegated, have expressed a strong interest in a return, while York Knights have gained attention for their infrastructure and commercial potential. Bradford Bulls, a once-dominant club with historical weight, may also prove to be a strong contender.
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