2026–27 Premiership Rugby
| 2026–27 PREM Rugby | |
|---|---|
| Countries | England |
| Number of teams | 10 |
| Date | September 2026 – June 2027 |
| Official website | |
| www | |
The 2026–27 PREM Rugby season, also known as 2026–27 Premiership Rugby and for sponsorship reasons 2026–27 Gallagher PREM Rugby, will be the 40th season of the top flight English domestic men's rugby union competition. The season will be the first to be contested under a franchise-based model, following the abolition of automatic promotion and relegation between the PREM and Champ Rugby from the start of the 2026–27 season.[1] The competition will be broadcast by TNT Sports for the fourteenth consecutive year, with seven select matches, broadcast free-to-air on ITV.[2]
Background
Franchise model and end of promotion and relegation
On 27 February 2026, the Rugby Football Union council approved a reform of the structure of professional rugby in England.[3] From the 2026–27 campaign, automatic promotion and relegation between the PREM and Champ Rugby is replaced by a criteria-based expansion and demotion model.[4] Automatic promotion had effectively been dormant for several seasons, as Champ Rugby champions Ealing Trailfinders were repeatedly unable to meet the PREM's minimum stadium capacity criteria.[5]
Relegation remains possible but will no longer be automatic, and would only occur where a stronger, financially viable replacement candidate exists.[6]
Teams
The same ten clubs that competed in the 2025–26 season will contest the 2026–27 season.
| Club | Director of Rugby / Head Coach |
Captain | Stadium | Capacity | City/Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bath | The Recreation Ground | 14,509 | Bath, Somerset | ||
| Bristol Bears | Ashton Gate | 27,000 | Bristol | ||
| Exeter Chiefs | Sandy Park | 15,600 | Exeter, Devon | ||
| Gloucester | Kingsholm | 16,115 | Gloucester, Gloucestershire | ||
| Harlequins | Twickenham Stoop | 14,800 | Twickenham, Greater London | ||
| Leicester Tigers | Welford Road | 25,849 | Leicester, Leicestershire | ||
| Newcastle Red Bulls | Kingston Park | 10,200 | Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear | ||
| Northampton Saints | Franklin's Gardens | 15,249 | Northampton, Northamptonshire | ||
| Sale Sharks | CorpAcq Stadium | 12,000 | Salford, Greater Manchester | ||
| Saracens | StoneX Stadium | 10,500 | Hendon, Greater London |
Player movements
Broadcast coverage
The competition will be broadcast by TNT Sports for the fourteenth consecutive year, all matches will be shown live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.[7][8]
In addition, seven matches per season will be broadcast free-to-air on ITV, including the final, across ITV1 and ITVX. All matches broadcast on ITV will be simulcast from TNT Sports.[9][2]
References
- ^ "Prem Rugby to scrap promotion and relegation amid new franchise model". ESPN. 27 February 2026. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
- ^ a b "ITV and PREM Rugby extend free-to-air broadcast partnership". ITV Press Centre. 22 January 2026. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
- ^ "RFU defends move to franchise model at the top of English club rugby". The Rugby Paper. 28 February 2026. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
- ^ "Prem Rugby scraps promotion and relegation with new league format". Insider Sport. 3 March 2026. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
- ^ "Prem relegation scrapped from 2026-27 season". The Phoenix. 28 February 2026. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
- ^ "Premiership to adopt franchise-style entry after RFU vote". Cornish Times. 28 February 2026. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
- ^ "What does ITV's new rugby deal mean for me as a fan?". Rugby World. 28 January 2026. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
- ^ "HBO Max to launch in the UK & Ireland on Thursday 26 March". TNT Sports. 9 March 2026. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
- ^ "PREM Rugby extends ITV broadcast deal". Talking Rugby Union. 22 January 2026. Retrieved 14 March 2026.