RFU confirm deadline for additional teams to apply for new Tier 2

Additional clubs wanting to take part in the new 14-team Tier 2 league in 2025/26 have been set an October 13 deadline to deliver their applications to the RFU.

There has been much debate in recent times about how best to reimagine the current 12-team Championship beneath the Gallagher Premiership in England and the latest development – the launch of a tender process with a swift application deadline – emerged following Friday’s latest council meeting.

In theory, the tender process provides a window for the likes of the collapsed Wasps to return to playing in September 2025. They went bust in October 2022 just weeks after Worcester has also folded.

London Irish later went bust, reducing the Premiership from 13 to 10 clubs in a matter of months. Jersey Reds, the 2022/23 Championship champions, also folded in September last year and opted out of their second-tier title defence.

An RFU statement read: “Over the past 18 months the RFU, Championship club committee and Premiership Rugby have been working to develop a reimagined Tier 2.

“The aim is to create a second tier that supports the English system by developing young English talent, whilst supporting the clubs to become financially sustainable, by growing local audiences and increasing the value in the league.

“In April 2024, council approved the principles of a new governance structure, the minimum operating standards and the principle of Tier 2 comprising 14 clubs from 2025/26.

“The new Tier 2 board has been operational since July 1 with representatives from the Championship and RFU and is driving plans for the revamped league in the 2025/26 season. The process to recruit an independent chair is underway.

“The Tier 2 board is continuing to develop both the commercial growth strategy, competition structure and player development strategy for the new league, as well as overseeing the self-assessment process for current Championship clubs against the minimum operating standards for the new league.

“It has also been considering how additional teams might enter the league following council’s approval in principle of a 14-team league structure for season 25/26.

“Council today approved a tender process for additional places in the league, starting with an expression of interest, that will be issued to the whole game on September 30.

“Once expressions of interest are received, interested parties will receive a formal submission request and responses will be assessed against the criteria which are:

• Ability to meet the minimum operating standards;
• Ability to demonstrate financial viability – this includes, where applicable, repayment of rugby creditors (as per RFU regulation five);
• Ability to align with the league’s central objectives which will be assessed against three areas: player base and competitiveness; commercial and geography. This will enable the Tier 2 board to review in detail the clubs' strategies to ensure that clubs’ ambitions are backed by careful and realistic planning and that they can demonstrate an alignment with the league’s central growth strategy.

“Expressions of interest must be received no later than 5pm on Sunday, October 13.”