London Broncos set for Super League in 2027, but without central funding
London Broncos are on course to move up into Super League for 2027, but they will do it without a share of the money the other clubs receive.
The route in comes through the annual grading system, which ranks clubs on their facilities and off-field set-up. Barrow Raiders finished 15th, one place above London Broncos in 16th, but the Guardian reports that Barrow's facilities do not meet the minimum Super League standards. Barrow have said they are not ready for the top flight, so the Rugby Football League (RFL), which runs the professional game in England, has turned to London as the next club in line.
The catch is money. The 14 current Super League clubs have imposed a condition that London Broncos receive no central distribution, the pot of funding the RFL shares out each year. Each of those clubs currently receives around £1.3m. London have agreed to give up their rights to around £1.3m, and the Guardian says they would have been due about £140,000 had they stayed in the Championship, the tier below.
It is not a new arrangement. York Knights and Toulouse Olympique joined Super League in 2026 with around £650,000 each, half the central distribution, when the league grew to 14 teams. London's position is harsher still, with nothing at all for their first season.
The Broncos have a strong recent record to point to. They won the Championship in 2026, and the club says it completed a Championship treble during a record-breaking season. Their squad planning for 2027 is already under way. Joe Philbin has joined from Warrington Wolves on a two-year deal, centre Toby King has signed a two-year contract, and the club will use The Lensbury in Teddington as a full-time training base.
Several steps remain. Super League clubs are expected to vote shortly on expanding to 15 teams to include London, and the RFL is expected to ratify the move imminently. Neither has happened yet.
The wider picture is also shifting. A partnership that would see Australia's National Rugby League take over administrative control of the English game, and bring in tens of millions of pounds, is now not expected to start until 2028. The NRL will, however, help ensure four Super League matches a week are shown on the streaming service DAZN next year.
For London supporters, the next few weeks will decide whether a title-winning season turns into a top-flight start. For everyone else, it is a reminder that promotion in rugby league can cost as much in negotiated money as it does on the field.
