Gallagher Prem overhaul set to be confirmed by RFU as English rugby's top tier moves towards franchise league
The Gallagher Prem is set to split from the rest of the English rugby leagues to become a franchise league that will initially expand from 10 to 12 teams by 2030; it comes as teams in lower divisions struggle to meet the Prem's standards
Thursday 26 February 2026 21:18, UK
A major overhaul of English rugby's top tier is set to be approved by the RFU on Friday, Sky Sports News understands.
The governing body's council will convene to rubber-stamp a proposal to turn the Prem into a franchise league that could expand to 20 teams by 2040.
The radical plans will split the Gallagher Prem from the rest of the English leagues and bring an end to top flight promotion and relegation.
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The elite league would initially expand from 10 to 12 teams by 2030, with further expansion possible if ambitious clubs can meet certain criteria.
So instead of promotion, clubs could enter the league by proving they meet financial, commercial and on-field requirements.
This revamp could potentially open the door to Wasps, Worcester and London Irish, all of whom went bust in the 2022/23 season.
The RFU and Prem Rugby hope the new structure will make the game more attractive to new investors.
Ealing Trailfinders, the top team in the second division, failed to meet the Prem's current standards, particularly when it came to ground capacity.
A team has not been relegated from the Prem since Saracens in 2020 in the wake of a points deduction for breaching salary-cap regulations. Saracens would later become the most recent team to earn promotion to the top tier after returning in 2021.
