The short version
- London Broncos won all three major second-tier titles but ranked sixteenth in the annual club gradings, missing promotion to the Super League.
- Wakefield Trinity topped the rankings for the first time, matching the previous year's high score set by Hull KR under new ownership criteria.
- The grading system evaluates five distinct factors including finance and community impact, creating a significant barrier for clubs with strong sporting results but lower commercial metrics.
The structure of England’s top-tier rugby league competition will remain unchanged for the upcoming season, as the annual club gradings have confirmed that all fourteen current Super League members will retain their places. This decision excludes the London Broncos from promotion despite a historic campaign in which they secured a treble of honors in the second division. The outcome highlights the growing divergence between on-field performance and the broader commercial and structural metrics used to determine league eligibility.
London’s exclusion is particularly notable given their dominance in the 2026 season. The club won the Championship Grand Final, captured the 1895 Cup, and finished as runaway champions of the regular-season standings. They lost only one match throughout the year, demonstrating a level of sporting superiority that typically warrants promotion in most sports hierarchies. However, their success on the pitch was not enough to overcome the deficiencies identified in other areas of the club’s operations.
The grading system, formulated by media giant IMG, assesses clubs across five specific criteria: fan experience, finance, stadium infrastructure, community engagement, and on-field performance. London finished sixteenth overall in these rankings, scoring 9.77 points. This figure represents a decline from their previous score of 11.65 and placed them below Barrow Raiders, another Championship side that also failed to secure a top-tier spot. The gap between the lowest-ranked Super League club and the highest-ranked challenger was substantial, with York Knights scoring 13.24 compared to Barrow’s 9.85.
At the top of the rankings, Wakefield Trinity has emerged as the highest-rated club for the first time. Their success follows their victory in the Super League Grand Final and reflects a broader rise under the ownership of Matt Ellis. Wakefield achieved a score of 17.85, matching the record set by Hull KR in the previous year’s assessment. This indicates that the top tier is consolidating around clubs that demonstrate strength not just in competition results but also in financial stability and stadium quality.
Leeds Rhinos maintained their position as the second-highest rated club, although their score of 17.03 was slightly lower than what they achieved in the 2025 rankings. Warrington Wolves saw a significant improvement, jumping from sixth to third place after a strong season that included a run to the Grand Final at Old Trafford. Despite losing the final to Wakefield, their overall performance across the grading criteria improved markedly. Wigan remained in fourth place, having secured both the Challenge Cup and the League Leaders’ shield.
Other notable shifts occurred in the middle of the pack. St Helens dropped from third to seventh place after missing out on the play-offs for the first time in the Super League era. Castleford Tigers rose from eleventh to eighth, entering the Category A section despite finishing thirteenth in the league table. This suggests that their improvements in non-sporting areas compensated for their lower league position. Meanwhile, Catalans Dragons and Hull FC fell from Category A to Category B, indicating potential vulnerabilities in their commercial or structural foundations.
The inclusion of new clubs in the Super League for 2026 also influenced the landscape. Toulouse Olympique and York Knights occupied the thirteenth and fourteenth positions respectively, albeit with higher scores than they achieved in previous assessments. This indicates that the expansion has been managed without destabilizing the existing hierarchy. However, only six of the fourteen Super League clubs scored higher than they did twelve months ago, suggesting a general stagnation or decline in overall club health across the top tier.
The backing of Australian businessman Grant Wechsel and former Brisbane Broncos star Darren Lockyer has not been sufficient to elevate London’s grading score. Despite fielding a squad full of international players and achieving unprecedented sporting success, the club’s financial and infrastructural metrics remain below the threshold required for Super League participation. This underscores the increasing importance of commercial viability in modern rugby league, where sporting excellence alone is no longer a guarantee of top-flight status.
Looking ahead, the London Broncos face a difficult challenge to improve their grading score sufficiently to earn promotion. They must address deficiencies in finance, stadium quality, and community engagement while maintaining their on-field dominance. The significant gap between the lowest Super League club and the highest Championship challenger suggests that promotion will remain elusive unless there is a substantial improvement in these non-sporting areas. The current system prioritizes long-term stability over immediate sporting merit, creating a high barrier for ambitious second-tier clubs.
This outcome reinforces the trend toward a more closed league structure in English rugby league. By retaining all current Super League members, the governing bodies have ensured continuity but also limited opportunities for upward mobility based solely on performance. Clubs like London Broncos must now navigate a complex landscape where success is measured by a combination of sporting achievement and commercial robustness. The implications for the sport’s competitive balance and fan engagement remain to be seen as clubs adapt to these stringent requirements.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- BBC Sport↗London omitted as Super League clubs named for 2027
