English rugby authorities have confirmed they are prioritizing the inclusion of domestic clubs over teams from Wales as they plan to expand the top-flight competition. Prem Rugby and the Rugby Football Union (RFU) released a joint statement indicating their focus remains on adding two English clubs by the 2029-30 season.
Plans for English Expansion
The Premiership currently features 10 sides following the financial collapses of Wasps, Worcester, and London Irish during the 2022-23 season. Landmark changes voted through in English rugby will scrap traditional promotion and relegation starting from the 2026-27 campaign. Instead of winning the second-tier Championship and meeting minimum standards, prospective clubs will apply to join based on criteria such as standard of play, finances, investment potential, infrastructure, and geographical appeal.
The league aims to reach 12 teams for the 2029-30 season with ambitions for further growth. Although initial rules stated clubs must complete a campaign in the Championship before consideration, a joint statement from Prem Rugby and the RFU noted that resources are currently directed toward supporting English clubs across the pyramid aspiring to join. The Men’s Professional Rugby Board handles the detailed entry criteria, while any cross-border move involving Welsh teams would require approval from the RFU.
Welsh Response and Financial Pressures
Wales currently fields four professional sides—Ospreys, Cardiff, Scarlets, and Dragons—in the 16-team United Rugby Championship alongside teams from Scotland, Ireland, Italy, and South Africa, with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) serving as a stakeholder. While senior English club sources confirmed the WRU expressed interest in an Anglo-Welsh league, formal negotiations are not taking place.
The WRU issued a non-committal statement confirming its commitment to the URC through the 2027-28 season while noting it continually reviews competitive opportunities in the best interests of Welsh rugby. The union also mentioned it is pitching for two women’s teams, Brython Thunder and Gwalia Lightning, to join Premiership Women’s Rugby. New WRU chair Lyndon Faulkner supports the idea of an Anglo-Welsh competition, arriving as the governing body reported an £18m loss for the latest financial year, following a £7.2m loss previously.
The WRU projects similar losses ahead, arguing that maintaining four professional regions is unsustainable and planning to reduce professional sides to three by 2028. Meanwhile, the entry cost for the Premiership—known as the P-share, which grants central income, voting rights, and a women’s program requirement—is valued at £20m. A rugby summit is scheduled for December, with a final decision on which professional side will be cut expected in the summer of 2027.
