Promotion and relegation are set to be scrapped in English rugby as part of a major shake-up.
The Rugby Football Union Council voted today to abolish the traditional promotion and relegation system, with the governing body's members giving their backing to the sweeping reforms by an overwhelming margin during a ballot.
Under the landmark agreement, the Gallagher Premiership will transition to a franchise-based structure, marking a fundamental shift in how the top tier of English professional rugby operates.
The restructure will take effect at the start of the 2026-27 campaign.
TRENDING
Stories
Videos
Your Say
By the 2029-30 season, the top flight is planned to comprise 12 clubs operating under the new franchise arrangement.
RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney expressed his support for the changes following the council's decision.
He said: "We recognise that moving away from a traditional system of automatic promotion and relegation represents a significant change.
"However, it is equally clear that the professional game must evolve if it is to thrive. The previous structure was not delivering the financial stability, investment confidence or wider system benefits the game now requires."
Promotion and relegation are set to be scrapped in English rugby as part of a major shake-up
|GETTY
He added: "This reform is about safeguarding the future - creating a model that is ambitious, sustainable and capable of supporting the whole rugby community, from the grassroots to the international stage.”
A vote was put forward after months of work with leading stakeholders, including the RFU, Premiership Rugby, Championship Rugby, Premiership Women’s Rugby, and the Rugby Players’ Association (RPA).
Mike McTighe, chair of men’s Professional Rugby Board, added: "This is an important step forward for professional rugby in England.
"It’s long been clear that the previous system was not delivering the financial sustainability or long-term confidence the professional game needs."
LATEST SPORT NEWS
A detailed view of the Gallagher Premiership Rugby trophy
|GETTY
He added: "This agreement therefore represents a collective responsibility to change that, with all of the stakeholders involved coming together to design a model that provides greater certainty for investors, a clearer pathway for ambitious clubs and stronger foundations for the whole rugby ecosystem.
"We know there will be scrutiny, and rightly so. The proof will be in delivery: in improved stability, in renewed investor confidence, in tangible benefits to the women’s game and in sustained support for community rugby."
Premiership clubs included in the top flight will have to operate a team in Premiership Women’s Rugby or fund a meaningful regional women’s development plan, or face fines for non-compliance.
An Expansion Review Group (ERG) will be set up to assess the league's readiness, investors' appetite, and which clubs are prepared for the expansion before clubs eager to join go through a formal Expression of Interest and tender process.
The reforms represent the most significant overhaul of English professional rugby's competitive structure in the sport's modern era
|GETTY
Premiership chief executive Simon Massie-Taylor explained: "We are now firmly on the path to a more prosperous and brighter future for Prem Rugby.
"Our vision is to become the best league in the world - for fans, players and investors in current and future Gallagher Prem clubs - and these important changes throughout the game will help us achieve this.
"The changes agreed today show unity across the game and will allow current and future club investors to confidently invest in our new growth plan and the wider English club rugby eco-system.
"We are extremely proud of what the Prem has achieved in the last few years and we are unbelievably excited about the opportunities that are now in front of us."
The reforms represent the most significant overhaul of English professional rugby's competitive structure in the sport's modern era.
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter