Major League Rugby will operate with only five teams in 2027 but has signed a letter of intent with the Buffalo Thunderbolts regarding a 2028 entry bid, alongside discussions with 17 other groups for future expansion.
League contraction and expansion plans
Established in 2018, the competition supported 13 teams by 2022 before franchises in Utah, Miami, Los Angeles, Houston, and New Orleans withdrew in 2025. The league proceeded in 2026 with six teams, though Anthem RC, a World Rugby-backed project in Charlotte, North Carolina, will not return next year. The Seattle Seawolves remain the sole surviving founding member, joined by the Chicago Hounds, New England Free Jacks, Old Glory DC, and the California Legion.
Sport | The Guardian reported that MLR co-president Alex Magleby stated the league hopes six of the 17 groups currently in talks will submit formal bids for the 2028 season, with three ultimately selected. Magleby outlined a disciplined framework involving milestone reviews, exclusive negotiating agreements, and final board approval. He emphasized a sustainable approach to avoid past mistakes, noting that the goal is to reach 12 teams by the 2031 men’s Rugby World Cup in the United States, placing an MLR team in every host city.
Meanwhile, World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin indicated the governing body expects to use 11 to 13 stadiums for the 2031 tournament. Potential host cities listed by Sports Business Journal include Atlanta, Baltimore, Birmingham, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Orleans, New York/New Jersey, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco/Bay Area, Seattle, St Louis, Vancouver, and Washington DC, though Buffalo and Indianapolis were not among them.
The Buffalo Thunderbolts project
The announcement of the Buffalo MLR project surprised some observers due to the city’s proximity to Canada, which has lacked an MLR team since the Toronto Arrows folded in 2023. Mark Winokur, former chief operating officer of the Arrows, is partnering with local filmmaker and rugby fan Joe DiPasquale on the Buffalo initiative. DiPasquale told the Buffalo News that Buffalo boasts a deep rugby culture and a prime market position near the Canadian border. Magleby echoed these sentiments, praising the city’s passionate sports fans and cross-border reach.
An immediate hurdle for the Thunderbolts involves securing a venue. DiPasquale informed the Buffalo News that he has discussed sharing a stadium with Buffalo Pro Soccer, a consortium attempting to join the USL Championship that currently lacks a venue and has twice delayed its launch.
Local political figures have thrown their support behind the franchise, including New York state assemblyman Bill Conrad, who cited his personal background in the sport and praised the region’s existing community of players and fans. Magleby stated that Buffalo is expected to enter the formal bid process ahead of the 2028 season under the league’s multi-stage vetting system.
