Clubs across the Betfred Super League are poised to discover their fate for the 2026 season this week, as the competition's composition is formally announced.
The crucial decision, which will determine the top-flight participants, will unfold in two stages.
Thursday morning will see the release of the latest IMG gradings, a key factor in club selection. This will be followed on Friday by the official naming of the two additional clubs set to join the league.
Here, we take a look at what the sport can expect.
How is the decision made?
Next season’s Super League will guarantee places for the top 12 clubs, ranked by IMG’s on and off-field grading criteria.
Two further clubs will be selected by an expert panel, chaired by RFL non-executive director Lord Caine, for the expanded 14-team top-flight in 2026.
Who will make the top 12?
Salford are widely expected to fall out of the top 12 after a crisis-hit campaign that has left their very future in doubt.
They are expected to be replaced by Toulouse, who gained an extra 0.25 points for winning this season’s Championship Grand Final, although Bradford are also understood to be confident of muscling in, perhaps at the expense of Huddersfield.
Who could be selected?
Nine clubs met a September deadline to apply for one of the prospective expansion positions. They included two existing Super League clubs, Huddersfield and Hull FC.
Bafflingly, Salford failed to apply, meaning if they do not make the top 12 they will automatically fall out of the top flight.
Seven Championship clubs applied – Bradford, Doncaster, London, Oldham, Toulouse, Widnes and York.
And who will be selected?
The smart money is on Bradford and Toulouse making the cut one way or the other, and the final expansion coming down to a straight shoot-out between London and York.
The Broncos, who fell out of Super League in 2024, have endured a poor season on the field but have recently been taken over by a group led by former Brisbane Broncos star Darren Lockyer, and their big plans will chime with many who believe a London side in Super League is essential.
York ran away with the Championship in the regular season but their Grand Final loss to Toulouse could well have cost them their chance, despite the giant strides they have made on and off the field.
How will the game react?
There is bound to be controversy, no matter who misses out.
Many question whether Bradford’s monolithic Odsal is suited for Super League, while others are decidedly cool on the idea of having two French teams among the elite.
Despite the majority of top-flight clubs voting for expansion, it was far from unanimous and raises fears of more one-sided contests, and an already strained player pool stretched too far.
