Prem Rugby and RFU commit to English expansion after report of Welsh clubs joining

Joint response from Prem and the RFU

On Wednesday, 28 October 2026, Prem Rugby and the Rugby Football Union (RFU) issued a joint statement after a report claimed the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) wanted to create an Anglo-Welsh league. The two bodies said they are working toward a provisional target of growing the Prem from 10 to 12 teams by the 2029-30 season. Their statement also made clear where their attention lies.

“Resources are currently focused on supporting English clubs throughout the pyramid who aspire to join the league.”

The Men's Professional Rugby Board (MPRB) holds the remit for growth and has drawn up entry rules that every candidate must meet. The Prem has also set up a league office to develop clubs that might want to join its expansion division. Worcester and London Irish, both revived, are among the clubs that have already expressed interest, and league chiefs are also looking for fresh investment in existing clubs.

Conflicting accounts of the talks

Senior sources in English club rugby have confirmed WRU interest but insist negotiations are not taking place. The original report, by contrast, put discussions at an advanced stage, a claim understood to be wide of the mark even though executives from the WRU and the Prem have held talks. Some accounts repeat the report's version, describing the WRU as in advanced discussions with Prem Rugby and the RFU over turning the Prem into a cross-border competition. Whatever the state of talks, any Welsh club entry would need RFU approval because the league would become cross-border.

In Wales, the Professional Rugby Board (PRB), which runs the professional game there, met on 28 October and was told the WRU plans to explore a future in English club rugby.

Entry rules and Welsh finances

Promotion and relegation ended from the start of the 2026-27 season after changes to English rugby were voted through. Clubs now apply to join rather than earning a place by finishing top of the Champ, and bids are judged on playing standard, finances, investment potential, infrastructure and geographic base. Hopefuls must also complete a campaign in the Champ before being considered. The entry cost begins with an up-front P-share valued at around £20m, and a separate figure puts the total at up to £23.5m, including a requirement to fund a Premiership Women's Rugby programme. The criteria are still being finalised, and the sources give no timetable for any Welsh entry.

Wales has four professional regions, Ospreys, Cardiff, Scarlets and Dragons, which play in the 16-team United Rugby Championship. The WRU announced a loss of £18.1m for 2025-26 earlier in October 2026 and says the figure strengthens its case to cut the regions from four to three.

Background and the 10-team Prem

The idea of an Anglo-Welsh or British and Irish league has been proposed before. In 1999 the WRU turned down a proposal that would have brought five clubs into the English rugby pyramid. The Prem's current 10-team format followed the folding of Wasps, Worcester and London Irish during the 2022-23 season. Senior figures at the Prem reportedly have reservations about adding another stakeholder to the competition, and the relationship with the RFU is now stronger than it was.