2026 Super League season
| 2026 Super League season | |
|---|---|
| League | Super League |
| Duration | 27 rounds |
| Teams | 14 |
| Matches played | 7 |
| Points scored | 274 |
| Highest attendance | 16,663 Hull F.C. vs Bradford Bulls (14 February) |
| Lowest attendance | 7,252 Catalans Dragons vs Huddersfield Giants (13 February) |
| Total attendance | 57,233 |
| Broadcast partners |
|
| 2026 Season | |
| Biggest home win | Catalans Dragons 26–10 Huddersfield Giants (13 February) |
| Biggest away win | Castleford Tigers 16–26 Wigan Warriors (15 February) |
| Top point-scorer | .svg.png){kind=small} Toby Sexton (12) |
The 2026 Super League season, known as the 2026 Betfred Super League for sponsorship reasons, is the 31st season of the Super League and 132nd season of rugby league in Great Britain.
Hull KR are the defending champions, having beaten Wigan Warriors in the Grand Final, to win their first Super League title.[1]
Rule changes
Conversion and penalty kicks
A 60 second shot clock for conversion and penalty kicks will be introduced from 2026, starting from the confirmation of a try. The shot clock will be stopped and not restarted if the kicking process is 'corrupted', i.e. if the ball falls off the kicking tee, giving a kicker indefinite time.[2]
Overseas player quotas and dual registration
In July 2025, it was confirmed by the RFL that each Super League team's overseas player quota, limiting a team's maximum amount of registered players not trained by a Rugby League European Federation member club, would increase from seven to ten for the 2026 season.[3]
In January 2026, the RFL announced that the dual registration system, allowing for Super League clubs to register their players with a lower league club to allow them to be loaned on short notice, was to be scrapped in order to "increase players' opportunities of taking the field". As a replacement, Super League clubs were permitted to send players on one-week loans to "partner clubs" with the aim of improving reserve players' match appearances. Clubs that had benefitted from dual registration partnerships included Leeds Rhinos, who had partnered with Featherstone Rovers, and St Helens R.F.C., who had partnered with Halifax Panthers.[4]
Video referee
On-field try decisions referred to the video referee, which previously stopped the game clock upon a referee's whistle, are to be abolished from 2026 onwards. These will be replaced by a 'live review' system, similar to the one used in the NRL, in which 80 seconds of a video referee's review must pass before the game clock can be stopped. If reason is found for an on-field try decision to be overturned by the video referee, resulting in a 'no try', the game clock is reset to the moment of the blowing of the referee's whistle.[2]
Structure changes
League expansion
From 2026, the Super League expanded to 14 teams. Teams 1-12 were decided by the current IMG promotion and relegation system, while teams 13 and 14 were chosen from the RFL Championship by an independent panel assessing teams who meet the minimum criteria.[5] At a meeting of all twelve Super League teams at the Headingley Rugby Stadium on 28 July 2025 to vote on the expansion proposal, nine voted to approve expanding the league, with only Hull KR and Hull FC voting against while Wigan Warriors abstained from the vote.[6]
"Spare weekend"
With the expansion from 12 to 14 teams came the removal of the five loop fixtures, which originally included Magic Weekend.[7] This would have reduced the regular season from 27 to 26 rounds. The RFL had planned to use the spare week for an expanded playoff format which would take place over four weeks rather than three. However, a U-turn decision saw Magic Weekend retained for 2026 and played as the season's only loop fixture, and retained a 27 round regular season.[8] A mid-season international between England and Papua New Guinea was also proposed.[9][10]
Broadcasting
BBC Sport are broadcasting matches as well as match highlights in the final year of their three-year deal with the Super League, replacing Channel 4 as the league's free-to-air partner from the 2024 season.[11] Ten games per season will be shown live on television, with a further five shown on iPlayer, the BBC's streaming platform. Australian broadcaster Foxtel is continuing an extended deal signed with the Super League in 2025 to broadcast every match on their Fox League channel and their Kayo Sports streaming service.[12]
Deals were announced by the Super League in February 2026 with French news group La Dépêche's 'Rugbyrama' platform, who will broadcast 51 Catalans Dragons and Toulouse Olympique matches, and with the National Broadcasting Corporation of Papua New Guinea, who will broadcast matches for New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and other Pacific Island nations. These join preexisting deals with Catalan-language broadcaster TV3, German-language broadcaster Sportdigital, and other worldwide broadcasters such as Fox Sports in the United States, Rogers Sports & Media in Canada, Rush Sports in the Caribbean, Premier Sports Asia in South East Asia and Dubai TV.[13]
Teams
The league consists of 14 teams, an increase of two from the previous season. The regular season consists of 27 rounds.
Hull KR are the defending champions after winning the 2025 Grand Final.[1] Salford Red Devils, who finished bottom of the Super League table in 2025 following a season marred by financial difficulties, were relegated to the 2026 RFL Championship after not applying to join the Super League for 2026.[14] They were replaced by 2025 RFL Championship semi-finalists Bradford Bulls, who were promoted to the Super League after achieving the highest IMG Grade B rating for 2025.[15] Bradford were joined by fellow Championship teams Toulouse Olympique and York Knights for the 2026 season, each achieving Grade B rankings.[16][17]
62miles
| Legend | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Reigning Champions
|
Previous season runners-up
|
Previous season League Leaders
|
Promoted
|
Fixtures and results
Matches decided by golden point
If a match ends in a draw after 80 minutes, then a further 10 minutes of golden point extra time is played, to determine a winner (five minutes each way). The first team to score either a try, penalty goal or drop goal during this period, will win the match. However, if there are no further scores during the additional 10 minutes period, then the match will end in a draw.[32]
Table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Leeds Rhinos
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 60 | 40 | +20 | 2 | Advance to Semi-finals |
| 2 |  Bradford Bulls
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 48 | 37 | +11 | 2 | |
| 3 |  Wigan Warriors
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 16 | +10 | 2 | Advance to Eliminators |
| 4 |  Warrington Wolves
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 14 | +10 | 2 | |
| 5 |  Leigh Leopards
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 44 | 34 | +10 | 2 | |
| 6 |  Hull F.C.
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 20 | +7 | 2 | |
| 7 |  Toulouse Olympique
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 16 | +2 | 2 | |
| 8 |  Catalans Dragons
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 36 | 38 | −2 | 2 | |
| 9 |  St Helens
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 34 | 42 | −8 | 2 | |
| 10 |  York Knights
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 33 | 64 | −31 | 2 | |
| 11 |  Hull Kingston Rovers
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 19 | −1 | 0 | |
| 12 |  Wakefield Trinity
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 18 | −2 | 0 | |
| 13 |  Castleford Tigers
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 26 | −10 | 0 | |
| 14 |  Huddersfield Giants
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 26 | −16 | 0 | Relegated to Championship |
Player statistics
Top try scorers
|
Top goal scorers
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals | Missed Goals | Drop Goals | Goal Percentage % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Will Pryce
|
Hull F.C.
|
5 | 0 | 1 | 100% |
| 2 | Toby Sexton
|
Catalans Dragons
|
5 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| 3 | Marc Sneyd
|
Warrington Wolves
|
4 | 1 | 80% | |
| 4 | Chris Hankinson
|
Leeds Rhinos
|
3 | 0 | 100% | |
| Rhyse Martin
|
Hull Kingston Rovers
| |||||
| 6 | Liam Harris
|
York Knights
|
1 | 75% | ||
| 7 | Adam Cook
|
Leigh Leopards
|
2 | 60% | ||
| Adam Keighran
|
Wigan Warriors
| |||||
| 9 | Tom Weaver
|
Castleford Tigers
|
2 | 0 | 100% | |
| 10 | Max Jowitt
|
Wakefield Trinity
|
2 | 1 | 33% |
Top points scorers
Discipline
|
| Rank | Player | Club |  Red cards
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Yellow cards
| Rank | Player | Club | Yellow cards
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matt Davis
|
Leigh Leopards
|
1 |
| Jackson Hastings
|
St Helens
| ||
| Adam Keighran
|
Wigan Warriors
| ||
| Mikey Lewis
|
Hull Kingston Rovers
| ||
| Harry Newman
|
Leeds Rhinos
| ||
| Oliver Russell
|
Huddersfield Giants
|
Attendances
Club attendances
|
Top 10 attendances
|
References
- ^ a b Freeman, Jay (11 October 2025). "Hull KR beat Wigan in Grand Final for historic treble". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ^ a b Olawumi, Ben (27 November 2025). "Major video referee change headlines two law amendments for 2026 as new system explained". Love Rugby League. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
- ^ Ibbetson, Stephen (8 July 2025). "Super League set for increased overseas quota". Total Rugby League. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
- ^ Bower, Aaron (26 January 2026). "Major dual-registration change confirmed as Super League loan system to shift dramatically". Love Rugby League. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
- ^ Freeman, Jay (28 July 2025). "Super League to expand to 14 teams from 2026". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ^ Bower, Aaron (28 July 2025). "The three clubs who did not vote for Super League expansion revealed". Love Rugby League. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ^ Bower, Aaron (19 August 2025). "Magic Weekend future update as decision made on format option". Love Rugby League. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
- ^ Bower, Aaron (25 November 2025). "Undercooked England will not play for a year until Rugby League World Cup". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
- ^ McAllister, Josh (13 November 2025). "England handed obvious World Cup opportunity as PNG mid-season Test proposed". All Out Rugby League. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
- ^ Olawumi, Ben (13 November 2025). "Papua New Guinea offer England mid-season Test as coach backs idea". Love Rugby League. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
- ^ "Super League: BBC to show live games for first time after signing three-year broadcast deal". BBC Sport. 7 February 2024. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ^ Tomlinson, Daniel (2 April 2025). "Super League lands new TV deal in Australia". All Out Rugby League. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
- ^ Walker, Callum (10 February 2026). "Super League strikes up two new TV broadcast deals". Total Rugby League. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
- ^ McAllister, Josh (15 September 2025). "Salford Red Devils back out of Super League application with candidates confirmed". All Out Rugby League. Retrieved 15 October 2025.
- ^ Freeman, Jay (16 October 2025). "Bradford replace Salford in Super League for 2026". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Olawumi, Ben (16 October 2025). "Ranking every club's IMG grading as Bradford's Super League return officially confirmed". Love Rugby League. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
- ^ Freeman, Jay (17 October 2025). "York and Toulouse to play in expanded Super League". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
- ^ "Odsal Stadium". Worldstadia. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
- ^ "Contact". Castleford Tigers. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
- ^ "Gilbert Brutus Stadium". Catalans Dragons. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
- ^ "Welcome to The John Smith's Stadium". John Smith's Stadium. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
- ^ "Facilities". Hull FC. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
- ^ "Stadium". Hull Kingston Rovers. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
- ^ "The Stadium". Headingley Stadium Events. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
- ^ "More than just a stadium". Leigh Sports Village. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
- ^ "Totally Wicked Stadium". St Helens R.F.C. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
- ^ Gordon, James (13 August 2019). "Toulouse secure groundshare deal at 19,000 capacity Stade Ernest Wallon". Love Rugby League. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
- ^ "Events and Conferences". Wakefield Trinity. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
- ^ "The Halliwell Jones Stadium: home to Warrington's leading conference centre". Halliwell Jones Stadium. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
- ^ "Stadium Info". Wigan Warriors. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
- ^ "The Stadium". York Stadium Management Company. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
- ^ "Match Day Operations Manual" (PDF). Rugby Football League. 2024. p. 49. Retrieved 12 October 2025.