mens
Gallagher-Prime Minister
Prem Rugby and the Rugby Football Union have said they are committed to expanding the top tier with English clubs in response to a report which claimed two Welsh sides could soon join the competition.
According to a report, the Welsh Rugby Union is in advanced talks with league chiefs and the RFU over the possibility of turning the Gallagher PREM into a cross-border competition.
It comes as the WRU grapples with a financial crisis that has seen it post an £18.1m loss for 2025-26. just last week, a number she says strengthens her case for reducing the number of regions from four to three.
The Premiership is aiming to expand from 10 to 12 teams in time for the 2029-2030 season, with English rugby’s governing bodies insisting their priority is to support home teams.
“Resources are currently focused on supporting English clubs across the pyramid who aspire to join the league,” they said in a joint statement.
“Prem is an attractive league and responsibility for its expansion rests with the Men’s Professional Rugby Board (MPRB), which has established detailed entry criteria that any prospective club should meet.”
Joining the Prem could cost an interested club up to £23.5m, which is made up of a P-share which provides a percentage of central revenue and the voting rights and funding requirements of the Premiership Women’s Rugby programme.
The RFU would have to approve Welsh teams entering the league as it would become a cross-border competition.
