RFL Championship

History and evolution

The history of a second division in British rugby league dates back to 1902, with a competition being played annually since 1973. When the Super League was formed in 1996, this second division continued to operate a system of promotion and relegation with the new top flight. In 1999, the competition was renamed the Northern Ford Premiership following a sponsorship deal. A major reorganisation occurred in 2003 when the Northern Ford Premiership was split into National Leagues One and Two, creating two ten-team leagues with promotion and relegation between them and to Super League.

This structure was rebranded in 2009, with National League One becoming the Championship and National League Two becoming Championship 1, later known as League One. From 2015 to 2018, the league operated under the Super 8s structure, where the top 12 Championship clubs played a regular season before splitting into play-off groups. The bottom four Super League clubs and top four Championship clubs entered The Qualifiers to determine Super League membership for the following year. This system was scrapped after the 2018 season, with clubs voting to return to a more conventional playoff structure for promotion and relegation starting in 2019.

A fundamental change came in 2024 with the introduction of an IMG grading system, which initially replaced automatic promotion with a criteria-based assessment for Super League entry. The most recent and significant transformation was implemented for the 2026 season, when the Championship and League One were merged into a single second-tier competition. This created an initial 21-team league, though Featherstone Rovers were ejected in early January 2026 due to being in administration, reducing the number of competing clubs to 20. The 2026 season proceeded with a revised fixture list and a new playoff format involving the top ten teams, culminating in the London Broncos winning the Championship Grand Final.

Competition format

The format of the Championship has seen numerous changes throughout its history. For the 2026 season, the merged league consists of 20 clubs. Each team plays 24 regular season matches, comprising 12 home and 12 away games. The fixture list is partially determined by league position from the previous season and partially by geographical proximity to foster local rivalries. Teams earn two points for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss.

The league table is ranked by total competition points, then by points difference, and finally by total points scored. The team finishing first after the regular season is awarded the League Leaders' Shield. Following the regular season, a playoff series determines the overall champion. For the 2026 season, the top ten teams qualify for the playoffs. The playoff matches begin on the first weekend of September and conclude with the Championship Grand Final on the first weekend of October.

The champions of the Championship are determined by a playoff series at the end of the regular season. This has been the case for all but the four seasons of the Super 8s era where the league leaders were declared champions. The 2026 season was affected by the exclusion of Featherstone Rovers after the fixture list had been published. Initially, the Championship table would have been ranked on win percentage, but this decision was reversed. Replacement fixtures were scheduled so all clubs played 24 matches and competition points decided the table.

Promotion, relegation and the IMG system

The relationship between the Championship and the Super League has been governed by various systems. Historically, automatic promotion and relegation existed between the two divisions. This changed in 2015 with the introduction of the Super 8s and The Qualifiers, a mini-league that decided which clubs would play in Super League. A return to a more traditional playoff system occurred in 2019. A fundamental shift took effect from the 2024 season onwards with the implementation of the IMG grading system.

Under this model, a club's on-field performance is no longer the sole determinant for Super League entry. The IMG system assesses clubs on multiple criteria including finances, stadium facilities, fanbase, and community engagement. For the 2025 season, this grading did not alter the expected promotion outcome, as Championship winners Wakefield Trinity were graded high enough to have been promoted under the old system. However, the system formally allowed the highest-graded clubs, Bradford Bulls, York Knights, and Toulouse Olympique, to be promoted to Super League for 2025, while Salford Red Devils were relegated.

By the start of the 2026 season at the end of January, there was no decision on whether there would be any automatic promotion and relegation between Super League and the Championship. It was also undecided whether entry to Super League would be entirely based on IMG grading. This uncertainty existed as the newly merged 20 team Championship began operation. The league was operating beneath a Super League whose membership rules for the future were still being finalized.

Broadcast and media coverage

Television coverage of the Championship has varied over the years. Between 2008 and 2012, broadcast rights were shared by Sky Sports and Premier Sports. From 2013, coverage was primarily on Premier Sports until a gap in 2014. Sky Sports then secured a seven-year deal starting in 2015, which included coverage of The Summer Bash, Championship Shield, and The Qualifiers. A two-year broadcast deal for 2022 and 2023 was signed with Premier Sports, which was later rebranded as Viaplay Sports during the 2023 season.

Viaplay Sports shows a live match every Monday and broadcasts all matches from the Summer Bash event, along with playoff matches and the Grand Final. The league's primary title sponsor since 2017 has been Betfred, a betting company, which has naming rights to the competition. Radio coverage of the Championship is provided by various regional stations across the United Kingdom. These stations typically focus their live commentary on Super League clubs within their broadcast area but provide regular updates on scores and results from Championship matches, ensuring fans can follow their team's progress through local media.

Player development pathways

The Championship has played a crucial role in player development through systems like dual registration. Introduced for the 2013 season, dual registration allowed a player to be registered with both a Super League club and a Championship club simultaneously. This was intended to complement the existing loan system by giving younger or fringe Super League players more regular competitive match experience. The scheme was abandoned in 2025, marking the end of this specific development tool.

Before its cessation, it benefited both divisions by raising the standard of play in the Championship and aiding player development for Super League. Another development pathway is the reserve league, established in 2016. This was created after several Super League clubs expressed dissatisfaction with the dual registration model and sought a structured Under-23 competition. The reserve league features a mixture of teams from Super League, Championship, and League One, providing a bridge between academy rugby and first-team action. This allows players to progress from under-19 levels by playing alongside and against seasoned professionals, preparing them for the demands of the top divisions.

Recent seasons and 2026 championship

The 2026 season represented a new era for the competition following its merger with League One. The league began with 21 clubs, but Featherstone Rovers' ejection reduced the field to 20. The regular season saw each club play 24 matches. London Broncos emerged as the dominant force, securing the League Leaders' Shield by finishing atop the regular season table. The Broncos then successfully progressed through the new ten-team playoff format, which culminated in the Championship Grand Final where they defeated Doncaster to claim the title.

This victory completed a historic treble for London Broncos, as they also won the 1895 Cup in the same season. The 2026 season also featured clubs that had been promoted from the former League One, including Dewsbury Rams, Keighley Cougars, Midlands Hurricanes, Newcastle Thunder, and North Wales Crusaders. The integration of these teams into a larger second tier aimed to create a more robust and competitive division. The playoff structure for 2026, detailed in January of that year, was designed to provide a clear and exciting conclusion to the season. The success of the London Broncos in this inaugural merged competition underscored the high level of competition within the newly configured Championship.

Governance and match officials

All matches in the Rugby Football League Championship are governed by the laws of the game set by the Rugby Football League. The enforcement of these laws during matches is the responsibility of the match officials, who are appointed and managed by the RFL's Match Officials Department. The current head of this department is Phil Bentham, a former Super League and international referee. Bentham oversees the training, development, and appointment of referees, touch judges, and video referees for all professional levels of the game in Britain, including the Championship.

The consistency and quality of officiating are critical for maintaining the integrity and flow of the competition. Match officials in the Championship are often those on the pathway to officiating in Super League, making the division an important proving ground for refereeing talent as well as playing talent. The RFL provides ongoing assessment and support to ensure officials apply the laws uniformly across all matches. This structured governance ensures that the Championship operates under the same professional standards as the top tier of British rugby league.

Questions about RFL Championship

What is the RFL Championship?

The RFL Championship is the second-highest division of professional rugby league in Britain, sitting directly below the Betfred Super League. It was founded in 2003 as National League One and rebranded in 2009. For the 2026 season, it merged with the former third division, League One, to form a single 20-team competition. The league winner is determined through a playoff system at the end of the regular season, with the playoff champion crowned as the overall champion.

Which team won the 2026 Betfred Championship?

London Broncos were the winners of the 2026 Betfred Championship. They defeated Doncaster in the Championship Grand Final to secure the title. In addition to winning the Grand Final, the London Broncos also claimed the 2026 League Leaders' Shield for finishing first in the regular season table. This achievement gave the club a historic treble, as they also won the 1895 Cup during the same season.

How does promotion to Super League work from the Championship?

The system for promotion to Super League has changed significantly. Historically, it was determined by on-field performance through automatic promotion or playoff systems like The Qualifiers. Since 2024, promotion has been influenced by the IMG grading system, which assesses clubs on criteria beyond sporting performance, including finances, stadium, and fanbase. For the 2025 season, the highest-graded Championship clubs were promoted. As of the start of the 2026 season, it was undecided whether future promotion would be solely based on IMG grading or would include automatic sporting merit.

How many teams are in the Championship for the 2026 season?

For the 2026 season, the Championship consists of 20 teams. This followed a merger with League One, which initially created a 21-team league. However, Featherstone Rovers were ejected from the Rugby Football League in early January 2026 due to being in an extended period of administration, reducing the number of competing clubs to 20. Each of these 20 clubs plays a 24-game regular season before the top ten enter the playoffs.

Where can I watch the Betfred Championship on television?

The television broadcast rights for the Betfred Championship are held by Viaplay Sports in the United Kingdom. This partnership, which began under the Premier Sports brand, includes broadcasting a live Championship match every Monday. Viaplay Sports also shows all matches from the Summer Bash event and holds the rights to broadcast the playoff matches and the Championship Grand Final. This coverage provides extensive access to the league for fans across the UK.

What was the dual registration system and is it still used?

Dual registration was a player development system introduced for the 2013 season. It allowed a player to be registered with both a Super League club and a Championship club simultaneously, enabling them to gain match experience in the second tier while remaining part of a top-tier squad. The system was intended to complement the traditional loan system. However, the dual registration scheme was abandoned in 2025 and is no longer in use in the Championship.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Garbutt Disposal desk. Last updated 2026-10-23.