RFL Championship

Historical development and structural evolution

The history of a formal second division in British rugby league dates back to 1902, with continuous annual competition established from 1973. When Super League launched in 1996, the second division maintained a promotion and relegation link with the new top flight. In 1999, the second-tier competition was renamed the Northern Ford Premiership following a sponsorship deal with Northern Ford Dealers. A significant reorganisation occurred in 2003, which saw the creation of the National Leagues system. The former Northern Ford Premiership was split into National League One and National League Two, with the top ten teams from 2002 joining the first division and the bottom eight joining the second. They were joined by London Skolars from the Rugby League Conference and the new York City Knights, who replaced the defunct York Wasps, creating two ten-team leagues. At the same time, National League Three was created from amateur leagues, though planned links to National League Two never materialised.

In 2009, Super League expanded to 14 teams, prompting a rebranding of the second tier. National League One became the Championship, and National League Two was renamed Championship 1, later becoming League 1. This era also saw the introduction of a licensing system for Super League, which temporarily removed automatic promotion and relegation between the top two divisions, although Widnes Vikings were promoted via this system in 2011. The record attendance for a regular season Championship match was set in 2017, when 8,817 spectators watched Hull Kingston Rovers defeat Bradford Bulls 54-24 at KCOM Craven Park. Another structural shift came in 2015 with the introduction of the Super 8s, a complex playoff system involving 24 clubs across the top two divisions to determine promotion, relegation, and end-of-season silverware. This system lasted four seasons before clubs voted in 2018 to return to a more conventional league and playoff format from 2019 onwards.

Modern structure, format and the 2026 merger

The Championship underwent its most significant transformation for the 2026 season, when it was merged with League One to form a single 20-team second division. This followed the expulsion of Featherstone Rovers in early January 2026 due to the club being in an extended period of administration, which reduced the league from an initial 21 clubs. The regular season format for the merged competition involves each of the 20 clubs playing 24 matches, comprising 12 home and 12 away games. Teams are scheduled to play 12 different opponents each season, with 10 fixtures based on the previous season's league position and two determined by local rivalries and geographic proximity. The standard rugby league points system applies, with two points for a win and one for a draw. Teams are ranked on the league table by total competition points, then by points difference, and finally by total points scored. The club finishing at the top of the table after the regular season is awarded the League Leaders' Shield.

Following the regular season, a playoff series involving the top ten teams determines the overall champion. The 2026 playoffs were scheduled to begin on the first weekend of September and conclude with the Championship Grand Final in the first weekend of October. The initial plan to use a win percentage ranking after Featherstone's expulsion was reversed, and replacement fixtures were scheduled, ensuring all clubs played a full 24-match schedule decided on competition points. The key structural elements of the Championship's history include several distinct phases defined by promotion systems and league composition.

• 2003 to 2008: Operated as National League One with promotion to and relegation from Super League.
• 2009 to 2014: Rebranded as the Championship under a licensing system with no automatic promotion.
• 2015 to 2018: The Super 8s era, featuring The Qualifiers and Championship Shield.
• 2019 to 2023: Return to conventional top-five playoffs for promotion.
• 2024 to 2025: Promotion determined solely by IMG club grading.
• 2026 onward: Merged 20-team league, with promotion method to Super League undecided at season start.

Promotion, relegation and the IMG grading system

The mechanism for movement between the Championship and Super League has evolved considerably. The conventional system of automatic promotion and relegation was replaced by the Super 8s playoffs from 2015 to 2018. In 2019, following a vote by clubs, the sport returned to a more traditional structure with a top-five playoff in the Championship to decide promotion, while the bottom Super League club faced relegation. A major change was introduced for the 2024 season, when automatic promotion from the Championship to Super League was abolished. Membership in the top flight became determined entirely by a club's score in the IMG (International Management Group) grading system, which assesses criteria beyond on-field performance such as finances, facilities, and fan engagement.

This grading system did not immediately alter which clubs were promoted. The 2024 Championship winners, Wakefield Trinity, were placed eighth in the grading list and would have been promoted under the previous sporting system. For the 2025 season, the three highest-graded IMG clubs from the Championship, Bradford Bulls, York Knights, and Toulouse Olympique, were promoted to Super League, while Salford Red Devils were relegated. The status of promotion and relegation for the post-2026 merged Championship remained undecided at the start of that season, with the potential for it to remain solely based on IMG grading rather than sporting merit. The introduction of grading has created a list of clubs promoted through this new method.

Broadcast partnerships and sponsorship history

The Championship has been sponsored four times since its 2003 inception, with betting company Betfred holding the title sponsorship rights as of the 2026 season. The league's official match ball is supplied by Steeden. Television coverage has shifted between broadcasters over the years, with several distinct phases of media rights deals. From 2008 to 2012, Sky Sports and Premier Sports shared the TV rights to the Championship. After 2012, Sky Sports only showed the Grand Finals while regular season games were broadcast on Premier Sports until 2013. There was no television coverage of the Championship in 2014. Sky Sports regained the rights in a seven-year deal starting in 2015, covering the Championship, The Summer Bash, the Championship Shield, and The Qualifiers.

At the end of 2021, a two-year broadcast deal was signed with Premier Sports for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Under this deal, Premier Sports broadcast a live Monday night match each week, all seven fixtures from the Summer Bash event, and the playoff matches including the promotion-deciding Million Pound Game. In late 2022, Premier Sports was absorbed by the Viaplay group and was marketed as Viaplay Sports for the 2023 Championship season. Radio coverage of the Championship is primarily provided by regional stations, which often focus on Super League clubs in their area but provide score updates and results from the second tier. The league has had several title sponsors who have determined its official name during their tenure.

• Northern Ford Premiership (1999 to 2002)
• National League One (2003 to 2008)
• The Championship (2009 to present, with title sponsor naming rights)
• Betfred (current title sponsor as of 2026)

Player development pathways and match officials

Player development between the Championship and Super League has been facilitated by specific registration systems. A dual registration scheme was introduced for the 2013 season, intended to complement the existing loan system. This arrangement allowed a player to be registered with both a Super League club and a Championship club simultaneously, providing top-tier players with competitive match time in the second division. However, this dual registration scheme was abandoned in 2025. Prior to its dissolution, Super League clubs had expressed dissatisfaction with dual registration as early as 2014 and 2015, leading to proposals for an alternative development league. Clubs like Wigan, Warrington, and St Helens were instrumental in advocating for the return of a dedicated reserve league to bridge the gap between under-19s and first-team rugby.

Consequently, a reserve league was established in 2016, featuring a mix of teams from Super League, the Championship, and League 1. This provided a structured environment for younger players to develop alongside seasoned professionals. All matches in the Championship are governed by the laws of the Rugby Football League (RFL), with officiating overseen by the head of the Match Officials Department, former Super League and international referee Phil Bentham. Match officials enforce the standard laws of the game across all fixtures in the competition, and the head of the department is responsible for the training and appointment of referees and touch judges for Championship games.

Recent champions, attendance records and key seasons

The champion of the Championship is determined by the winner of the end-of-season playoff finals series, while the team finishing first in the regular season table receives the League Leaders' Shield. This format has been consistent except during the four-season Super 8s era from 2015 to 2018, where the league leaders were declared champions and promotion was decided through a separate Qualifiers tournament. The record for the highest attendance at a regular season Championship match was set on the opening day of the 2017 season. Hull Kingston Rovers hosted Bradford Bulls at KCOM Craven Park, with Rovers winning 54-24 in front of a crowd of 8,817 spectators. The 2008 season set a record for the highest average regular season attendance in the second tier, with an average of 2,205 spectators per game. The most recent champion, as of the 2026 season, is the London Broncos, who defeated Doncaster in the Championship Grand Final.

The following table lists the champions from the inception of the modern playoff format in 2019. This format began after the Super 8s era ended. The table includes the League Leaders from the Super 8s period when they were declared champions. It shows the outcomes of the competition across its various structural phases. The champions are determined by a playoff series at the end of the regular season. For four seasons during the Super 8s era, the league leaders were declared champions.

Several other seasons hold particular significance in the league's history due to structural changes or notable events. The competition was introduced in 2003 as National League One. It was rebranded as the Championship in 2009. A major structural change occurred for the 2026 season when the Championship and League One were merged into a single second tier. This created a 20 team division for the 2026 season.

• 2003: Inaugural season of National League One, forming the modern second tier.
• 2009: Rebranded as the Championship. Licensing system introduced.
• 2011: Widnes Vikings promoted to Super League via the licensing system.
• 2015: Introduction of the Super 8s structure.
• 2018: Clubs vote to end Super 8s and return to conventional playoffs.
• 2024: IMG grading becomes sole determinant for Super League membership.
• 2026: Merger with League One. London Broncos win first Grand Final of new era.

Questions about RFL Championship

What is the Rugby Football League Championship?

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

How does promotion to Super League work from the Championship?

Since the 2024 season, automatic promotion based on sporting merit has been abolished. Promotion to the Super League is now determined by a club's score in the IMG (International Management Group) grading system, which evaluates financial stability, facilities, fan engagement, and on-field performance. For example, in 2025, the three highest-graded Championship clubs, Bradford Bulls, York Knights, and Toulouse Olympique, were promoted. The system for the post-2026 merged Championship was under review at the start of that season.

Which team won the Championship in 2026?

The London Broncos were winners of the 2026 season. They won by beating Doncaster in the Championship Grand Final. This was the first season after the Championship and League One were merged into a single second tier. The league consisted of 20 teams for the 2026 season.

Where can I watch the Championship on TV?

A two year broadcast deal with Premier Sports was signed for 2022 and 2023. Premier Sports became part of Viaplay late in 2022 and was marketed as Viaplay Sports for the 2023 season. The deal included a live match every Monday and all matches from the Summer Bash. It also included the broadcasting rights to playoff matches and the Million Pound Game.

What was the dual registration system?

The dual registration system was introduced for the 2013 season. It was an arrangement between clubs where a player continued to be registered to his Super League club and was also registered to play for a Championship club. The system was intended to complement the existing player loan system. The dual registration scheme was abandoned in 2025.

How many teams are in the Championship?

Following a major restructuring, the Championship featured 20 teams for the 2026 season. This was the result of a merger between the previous Championship and League One competitions. The league was initially set to have 21 teams, but Featherstone Rovers were ejected in early January 2026 due to being in administration, reducing the number to 20. Each club plays a 24-game regular season schedule before the top ten qualify for the playoffs.

Sources and further reading

• RFL Championship (Wikipedia)
• Betfred Championship (rugby-league.com)
• RFL Championship News | Latest News (newsnow.com)

Checked by the Garbutt Disposal desk. Last updated 2026-10-23.