Futureproofing English Rugby
Creating the conditions for sustainable investment
Rugby boasts a rich tradition and England's rugby leaders are dedicated to ensuring this continues, by growing the sport for future generations.
While supported by millions of fans, financial challenges have stifled teams playing in rugby’s top leagues, slowing investment, growth and the ripple effect for communities.
With support from Deloitte, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and PREM Rugby have agreed a bold reform that will deliver vital benefits to the English rugby ecosystem. Following a wide-ranging review, it’s designed to establish the conditions for rugby to thrive and attract long-term financial backing, that will deliver bigger and better experiences, from the grassroots up.
Championing a fairer future
In 2025, the leaders at the top of the game came together in recognition that the structure of men’s professional rugby in England was not optimised to deliver the required environment for financial sustainability, long-term investment and benefits for the wider rugby ecosystem.
One of the discussion points brought to the table was the traditional system of sporting-based promotion and relegation.
The minimum operating standards required to be achieved by all PREM clubs, particularly regarding a minimum stadium size, were causing promotion and relegation to effectively stall. No team had successfully been promoted from the Championship to the top-flight since Saracens in the 2020/21 season, due to Champ winning clubs' inability to meet the minimum criteria for playing in the PREM.
The pandemic added further pressure and the PREM was reduced to just 10 teams after three historic clubs – Wasps, Worcester Warriors and London Irish – entered administration.
The combination of the structural issues and challenging financial environment was hampering the game’s ability to capitalise on the new wave of investment into sport, which was also stunting the growth of the women’s game and community rugby. Radical change was needed.
Deloitte worked with a broad set of stakeholders including the RFU, PREM and Champ Rugby, Premiership Women’s Rugby and the Rugby Players Association to collectively shape a system that would encourage investment and futureproof the sport.
In February 2026, after months of detailed collaboration, including with clubs, investors, players and supporters, the plan got over the line, with the RFU Council overwhelmingly approving the measures.
“This landmark agreement aims to build globally competitive and investable leagues, expanding rugby's fanbase and benefiting the entire ecosystem.”
Chris Wood, Director, Deloitte Sports Business Group
Scoring stakeholder approval
Bringing expertise in strategy development, financial forecasting, sporting governance, financial regulation and system design, we set out to unite stakeholders behind a common vision.
Recognising that the risk of relegation was one of the factors limiting new investment, and therefore English rugby’s modernisation, we worked with the RFU and PREM to propose a system of criteria-based expansion and demotion.
Clubs aspiring to join the PREM will take part in a transparent tender process against strict criteria, including rugby excellence, financial sustainability, and broader system impact. Clubs already in the league will be continually assessed on performance, attendance and fan engagement amongst other metrics, with persistent underperformance potentially leading to removal from the PREM.
The league’s expansion to 12 teams is targeted for the coming years. New standards will also be introduced, demanding investment in matchday experiences, commercial innovation, women's rugby development and grassroots engagement.
A dedicated Clubs Office will support aspirational teams in developing clubs that are ‘PREM’ ready, which will include the ability to meet these enhanced standards, ensuring a credible pathway to the top and strengthening English rugby for future success.
From fans to financing
This new approach will give teams at all levels of the pyramid something to work towards should they so wish, while investors have a clear proposition, with greater certainty, to back.
And it's already delivering new investment. Earlier this year, industrialist Sir James Dyson acquired a 50% stake in Bath Rugby, with the substantial capital injection set to clear club debts and fund a new 18,000-seater stadium.
Meanwhile, Exeter Chiefs members have approved a multi-million-pound takeover by American sports investor Bill Foley via Cannae Holdings.
His firm, Black Knight Sports and Entertainment, already owns Premier League football side AFC Bournemouth and acquired the majority stake to secure Exeter’s financial future and deliver a new era of success at the club.
Minority investment has also been made in Gloucester and Northampton Saints since the announcement.
We've additionally seen investment into Champ clubs, with this league moving into a growth phase with a new broadcast agreement, title sponsorship and record audience figures.
“It's exciting to see a real opportunity for English professional rugby to attract fresh investment,” says Chris Wood, director in the Deloitte Sports Business Group. “We’ve witnessed how this wave of investment can bring not only capital but also new ideas and know-how to drive growth. All of this is changing the landscape and as we have seen with the new Bath and Exeter investments, sport-savvy investors won’t be slow to capitalise on the big opportunities around this expansion in rugby.
“Historically, English rugby has at points been held back by a lack of alignment among those at the top of the game. Together, we've created the platform for a new era, driven by a united group of stakeholders with a shared vision to take the sport to the next level.”
"We are now firmly on the path to a more prosperous and brighter future for PREM Rugby. Our vision is to become the best league in the world – for fans, players and investors in current and future Gallagher PREM clubs – and these important changes throughout the game will help us achieve this."
Simon Massie-Taylor, CEO, PREM Rugby CEO
