RUGBY LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP CLUBS ADOPT NEW SALARY CAP RULES

The Rugby Football League has confirmed that all 20 Championship clubs have agreed to introduce a revised salary cap system for the second tier of rugby league, taking effect from next season. The cap will tie each club's permitted player spending directly to the revenue that club generates. The RFL said it intervened as part of a strategic review into the sport and to prevent clubs from overspending. The governing body stated the change aims to improve financial stability across the Championship and enhance decision-making by club boards.

Under the agreed structure, clubs with revenue up to £600,000 will be limited to a wage cap of £250,000, rising to £300,000 for clubs generating between £601,000 and £750,000, and £400,000 for those earning between £751,000 and £999,000. Clubs generating £1 million or more will be permitted to spend up to £500,000 on players. The new framework follows a turbulent season in the Championship, during which Halifax Panthers entered liquidation before regaining their RFL membership and returning to the competition. Featherstone Rovers were denied RFL membership and barred from competing in the 2026 Championship due to ongoing financial difficulties, while North Wales Crusaders came close to folding before supporters and volunteers formed a new company and secured an interim licence from the RFL.

RFL chair Nigel Wood OBE said spending by poorly run clubs had been unsustainable for several years. Wood stated the revised rules aim to protect well-run clubs and act as a restraint on unsustainable expenditure. He added that linking spend to income encourages clubs to maximise their revenue streams, as higher earnings unlock a higher permitted cap. The changes apply across all 20 Championship clubs from the next season onwards.