Prem looks to English expansion despite Welsh interest
Prem Rugby and the Rugby Football Union say they are focusing on adding English clubs to the top flight, despite reported Welsh interest in joining an Anglo-Welsh league. Their plan is to expand from 10 to 12 teams by 2029-30, with the change potentially reshaping opportunities for clubs across English rugby.
The Prem contracted after Wasps, Worcester and London Irish folded in 2022-23, and traditional promotion and relegation will end from 2026-27. Applicants will be judged on factors including playing standards, finances, investment, facilities and location, and must first play a season in the Championship. Wales’ four professional men’s teams are committed to the United Rugby Championship until 2027-28; the WRU says it will decide the future operating model for the Welsh game by the end of this season, while keeping competition options under review.
In short
- The Prem aims to expand to 12 teams by 2029-30.
- English rugby says expansion efforts are focused on English clubs.
- The WRU has not ruled out exploring other competition options.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Expanding the English league could restore places lost when clubs folded and give ambitious Championship sides a clearer route to the top tier. Judging applicants on standards, financial strength, facilities and location may help ensure new entrants can compete sustainably and strengthen the league over time.
The case against
Prioritising English clubs could close off a chance to build a compelling Anglo-Welsh competition, drawing on established rivalries and a broader supporter base. Ending traditional promotion and relegation may also make access less dependent on results, so the selection process needs to be transparent and fair to clubs outside the Premiership.
Explained simply
Prem Rugby is the top level of men’s club rugby in England, run with the Rugby Football Union (RFU), the sport’s governing body in England. It shrank to 10 teams after Wasps, Worcester and London Irish folded in 2022-23, and the usual system of promotion and relegation is due to end from 2026-27.
The Championship sits below the Prem, while Wales’s four professional men’s teams play in the United Rugby Championship, a competition involving teams from several countries. The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) says those teams are committed there until 2027-28, and is reviewing how the Welsh game should be organised.
The Prem and RFU’s plan to reach 12 teams by 2029-30 could affect which English clubs get a route into the top flight. Applicants are expected to be assessed on sporting, financial and practical factors, after first spending a season in the Championship.