Prem Rugby targets growth from 10 to 12 clubs by 2030/31

Prem Rugby is targeting expansion of England’s top-flight rugby union league from 10 to 12 clubs by the 2030/31 season, the BBC said in its October 30 report. Entry remains subject to assessments and approval, rather than a guaranteed increase in league size.

That timetable is a season later than the provisional 2029/30 target in the October 23 reform agreement involving Prem Rugby, the Rugby Football Union and other rugby bodies. The earlier target was subject to readiness tests. The reason for the difference remains unclear.

The agreement replaces automatic promotion and relegation between the Prem and Champ from 2026/27 with expansion and demotion based on set criteria. Its backers say the previous system discouraged long-term investment and failed to deliver financial sustainability; they argue that the new model should give clubs and investors greater certainty.

A Champ season and money for a P-Share

Prem Rugby chief executive Simon Massie-Taylor confirmed that entrants must first play at least one season in the second-tier Champ. He said they would also need a large cash advance to purchase a P-Share.

The BBC said a P-Share is thought to be valued at around £20 million, an approximate valuation rather than a confirmed purchase price.

A P-Share secures a percentage of central income and voting rights, PA said.

What clubs must prove

Applicants must go through a formal expression-of-interest and tender process. Mandatory standards cover financial sustainability, ownership strength, governance, facilities, operating capability and rugby performance. Assessments also consider geographic growth, women’s rugby and community impact. Under the agreement, expansion happens only if a candidate demonstrably strengthens the league.

The planned Expansion Review Group will assess league readiness, investor appetite and club preparedness. It will recommend decisions to the Men’s Professional Rugby Board, which retains final authority.

The agreement also sets higher standards from 2030, requiring clubs to operate a Premiership Women’s Rugby team or deliver an agreed regional women’s rugby development plan with meaningful minimum investment.

Existing Prem clubs will be assessed on rugby performance, attendance and fan engagement. Persistent underperformance could lead to demotion if a stronger, viable candidate exists.

Massie-Taylor says English clubs remain the priority

Massie-Taylor said Project Forge, English rugby’s strategic plan, was developed on the assumption that it would support English clubs. He sees potential in Champ clubs, clubs elsewhere in the English system and former clubs. The BBC gave revived Wasps or London Irish as examples.

The BBC said the Welsh Rugby Union had approached the Prem about clubs from Wales joining an Anglo-Welsh league. Massie-Taylor did not rule that out, but said developing English clubs remains the priority. In a joint statement published on 28 October, Prem Rugby and the Rugby Football Union also said their resources were focused on English clubs seeking entry.

Expressions of interest are expected to be completed in the coming months, the BBC said. A precise closing date remains unspecified. Prospective entrants must then satisfy the entry criteria and secure board approval before joining.