‘Never watching this nonsense again' rant fans as major league confirms two-team expansion for 2026 season
OUT MY LEAGUE 'Never watching this nonsense again' rant fans as major league confirms two-team expansion for 2026 season
SUPER LEAGUE clubs have brought forward the expansion to 14 clubs to next season.
It was expected the addition of two more sides would not come until 2027, to tie in with the next broadcasting deal.
2
The Super League will expand to 14 teams for the 2026 season
Credit: PA
2
Two teams will be selected by an independent panel
Credit: Getty
But at a meeting of top flight sides in Leeds today, the majority voted to expand for 2026.
It has angered fans, who reacted: "I'm never watching this nonsense again."
Another said: "The death has started."
But other disagreed, commenting: "Finally! About time. This should have happened years ago."
READ MORE IN SPORT
WADE IN Christian Wade's attitude sees him make mark in THIRD professional sport
IMG's grading system will decide 12 of the clubs who will make up the larger competition, which will see the end of despised loop fixtures and keeping the 13 home matches.
However, two teams others will be chosen by an independent panel.
This means those from outside the top 14 can be picked if they do not make the 12, so the prospect of Toulouse Olympique being overlooked is open.
And with Salford set to still be relegated despite the expansion, there is the prospect of three clubs, including Bradford, coming up.
BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK
If the Red Devils do stay in, that will mean a miraculous escape after months of chaos under the shambolic ownership of Sire Kailahi and Curtiz Brown.
However, a Bulls' return would spark many complaints given the link with new Rugby League Commercial chair Nigel Wood, who headed the "club-led strategic review".
Until March, he was chairman at Odsal – the condition of which, with one seated and covered stand - is another source of anger among supporters.
And a raising of the overseas quota rules, allowing teams to have ten foreign players from 2026, has raised fears of a dilution of talent across 14 teams.
London Broncos, currently 10th in the Championship and Oldham, only promoted from League One last year, are also keen on a place at the top table.
A Super League statement said: 'The 12 existing Super League clubs have voted to extend the competition to 14 teams for the 2026 season, subject to conditions.
'This would be done by combining the club grading system introduced to determine Super League membership as part of the sport's long-term strategic partnership with IMG in 2022, with an independent panel to be chaired by Lord Jonathan Caine.
'The top 12 clubs under grading at the conclusion of the 2025 domestic season will therefore be joined by two clubs recommended by that panel – provided the panel judges there are two applications of sufficient merit against the set criteria.
'The Super League clubs have the right to determine the number of the clubs in the competition.
'The possibility of immediate expansion to 14 clubs was one of a number of options put to a meeting of the existing 12 clubs.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
North Wales Chronicle
43 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Tom Brady says Birmingham must keep spending as they aim to stay above Wrexham
Birmingham beat Wrexham to the League One title last season, but it is the Welsh club who have splashed the cash ahead of the new season with six summer signings and Wales striker Nathan Broadhead reportedly set to join the Red Dragons in a record club £7.5million transfer from Ipswich. 'We've got to (keep spending),' NFL quarterback great and Birmingham shareholder Brady told The Sports Agents podcast. 'We've got to keep up with one another. Wrexham have, I'd say, done an incredible job. I mean, you can't be anything but excited about what they've done for that club… I'm so impressed by Wrexham. 'What they do on the pitch, off the pitch, and again, they're in a great position to succeed as well.' Asked about the rivalry in a fixture that has been dubbed the 'Hollywood Derby', Brady said: 'We're going to talk a lot of smack in the meantime between all of us, because it's pretty fun theatre, and I think there's some little friendly side bets going on. 'But make no mistake, the people who are going to decide the fate of those games are the players wearing those jerseys.' Brady made 10 Super Bowl appearances and had seven victories – both individual records – in a storied 23-year NFL career between 2000 and 2022. The 47-year-old admits he would love to bring the Super Bowl to Birmingham once the club's new 62,000-seater stadium is built in Bordesley Green. He said: 'That would be pretty amazing. I don't make all those decisions. I'm not sure how much I can influence those decisions. 'But I think that my partner, Tom Wagner (Birmingham chairman), is an incredible man, incredible businessman. 'He has huge ambitions for the club, and I would never bet against anything that he tries to accomplish.' Former Celtic and Tottenham coach Chris Davies steered Birmingham to League One glory with a record 111 points from 46 games. The previous season Birmingham were relegated to the third tier for the first time in 29 years, with former England captain Wayne Rooney having been sacked in January after just 15 matches in charge. Brady said: 'I think that's a very natural part of a growth process, that you are going to face adversities along the way. 'When I look back at those years, I'm very proud of what we accomplished because of what we overcame. 'Whatever happened two years ago or a year ago makes really no impact on where we're at now. 'I think this club has a great manager. The expectations and standards have been set at a different level, and we're going into this Championship season with great excitement. 'We want to restore it (Birmingham) to the glory that it's been in the past. To move up and to be promoted to the Premier League is a very daunting task, but it can be achieved.' ::The Sports Agents is available to listen to now on Global Player, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Daily Record
43 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Airdrie v Ross County: Diamonds will go 'full throttle' in Championship bid, says Wilson
Rhys McCabe's welcome the Staggies in their league opener after a painful Premier Sports Cup exit Airdrie skipper Aidan Wilson insists they will go 'full throttle' in the Championship this season after their disappointing exit from the Premier Sports Cup. The Diamonds were top of their group heading into Saturday's showdown with rivals Alloa, but the Wasps grabbed an 89th minute winner to win 3-2 at New Broomfield and send the Monklands men crashing out. Now, Wilson has to pick his side up for Saturday's Championship opener at home to Ross County. And after surviving relegation through the play-offs last term, Wilson says they must hit the ground running. The centre-back, who netted a stunning strike to make it 1-1 early in the second half, said: 'We are gutted to be out of the cup. It's disappointing, especially when we go 2-1 up in the game. 'I think from there we need to do better and see the game out. We can't be conceding three goals to Alloa, which all due respect to them. 'Fair play to them for winning the game. They defended really well, made it difficult for us, sat in a low block, but we've got to do better. 'It was a very good cup campaign up until this point. We'd won all our games and we were sitting in a very good position at the top of the group, thinking we'll go and get the job done in the last game. Unfortunately, we never did that but we can't dwell on it. 'We've got the league campaign coming up now and we'll go full throttle at that. We'll be looking to the game against Ross County to get back on track. 'Last season we didn't win enough games and we were down at the bottom for a reason, so this season it is about learning from that and going full steam ahead with a new group. 'We won our first game last season against Raith and we were in a bit of a rut after that. We lost loads of players to injury - a lot of players who would have started - so hopefully we get a bit more luck with injuries this season. 'We want to get off to a good start because the Championship is such a tough league.' On the challenge facing them on Saturday, Wilson said: 'They have been in good form and scoring a lot of goals. 'They were obviously a Premiership team last season so they will be a good side. We just need to dust ourselves down, get a good training week in the legs and go at it.'
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Thursday's briefing: Man Utd target Benjamin Sesko as Luis Diaz leaves Liverpool
United target striker Sesko Manchester United target Benjamin Sesko (centre) battles for the ball against a potential future team-mate Bruno Fernandes (right) (Bradley Collyer/PA) Manchester United are pursuing a deal for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko. United's misfiring frontline was a major issue last term and the club are looking to sign a striker this summer, and the PA news agency understands that Sesko is in their sights ahead of the new season. The Slovenia international, 22, has long been on the club's radar and is also a target of Newcastle, who missed out on Frankfurt's Hugo Ekitike to Liverpool and have an unsettled star in Alexander Isak. United also like Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins but Sesko – who could reportedly be available for in the region of £70million – is understood to be their current priority. Diaz signs out at Liverpool Luis Diaz's three-and-a-half year spell at Liverpool has come to an end (Mike Egerton/PA) Colombia forward Luis Diaz has left Liverpool for Bayern Munich. Diaz signed a four-year deal with the Bundesliga champions after a fee understood to be £65million was agreed between the two clubs. 'I'm very happy, it means a lot to me to be part of FC Bayern – it's one of the biggest clubs in the world,' Diaz told the German club's website. Diaz scored 41 goals in 148 appearances during his three-and-a-half-year stay on Merseyside, winning the Premier League, FA Cup and two Carabao Cups. Rangers make Champions League progress Full-Time: Panathinaikos 1-1 Rangers (Agg 1-3) 💙 Djeidi Gassama's perfect strike sends us into the @ChampionsLeague Third Qualifying Round. — Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) July 30, 2025 Rangers drew 1-1 at Panathinaikos for a 3-1 aggregate success and progression to the third qualifying round of the Champions League. Djeidi Gassama was the super-sub once again after coming off the bench on debut last week to score in a 2-0 Ibrox win. Filip Djuricic opened the scoring with a header in the 53rd minute but, moments after climbing off the bench, Gassama levelled for Russell Martin's side with a stunning drive. Rangers next play Viktoria Plzen, of the Czech Republic, who were 3-2 aggregate winners over Swiss side Servette. Palace to learn European fate Crystal Palace fans protest against their European competition demotion (Yui Mok/PA) A date has been set to decide Crystal Palace's European fate. The Court of Arbitration for Sport has announced that August 11 will be the day to determine whether Palace will play in the Europa League or the Conference League this season. The Eagles were demoted from the Europa League to the Conference League by European football's governing body UEFA after it determined that as of March 1, American businessman John Textor had control or influence at Palace and French club Lyon. FA Cup winners Palace appealed against the decision to CAS and the court has now confirmed that a hearing will take place on August 8, followed by a verdict three days later. What's on today? Our Opponents 🇩🇰First Leg Performance 🙌Importance of Fans 💚 David Gray previews tomorrow night's Europa League clash against FC Midtjylland! 🎙️ — Hibernian Football Club (@HibernianFC) July 30, 2025 Hibernian welcome Midtjylland to Easter Road in the Europa League second qualifying round after last week's 1-1 draw in Denmark. Dundee United defend a 1-0 Conference League lead against UNA Strassen in Luxembourg. Northern Ireland trio Dungannon Swifts, Larne and Linfield are also in action, so too Irish pair Shamrock Rovers and St Patrick's Athletic.
