RFU confirms controversial changes to promotion and relegation criteria

The Rugby Football Union has confirmed that there will be opportunities for promotion and relegation in the 2024/25 season.

Both the bottom-placed Premiership and the top-placed Championship sides will now be given a two-game opportunity to secure their place in the top level of English rugby.

This news has been confirmed following the announcement that the RFU has joined forces with Premiership Rugby and The Rugby Players Association to create the Men’s Professional Game Partnership (MPGP).

This partnership is designed to transform the men’s professional game after years of arguable mediocrity within the international landscape, providing favourable collateral benefits to community rugby. The agreement will last for eight years, over two four-year terms, with a new Professional Rugby Board (PRB) established to oversee all rugby decisions.

In a statement discussing the Promotion and Relegation opportunities, the RFU said:

‘The RFU Council agreed there would continue to be a two-match home and away play-off between the bottom placed Gallagher Premiership club and the winner of the Championship/Tier 2, provided that that latter club meets the Minimum Standards Criteria in place at the relevant time. This continues to allow for promotion and relegation, but also balances the careful financial challenges of clubs in those leagues and ensure that promoted clubs can sustainably compete.

PGB agreed to increased flexibility in the Minimum Standards Criteria (MSC) for entry into the Gallagher Premiership. The new MSC will allow a longer period for a promoted club to achieve required ground capacities. Clubs may move from 5,000, to 7,500 and finally 10,001 at the start of their fourth season in the Premiership at the latest. This should enable aspirational clubs who gain promotion longer to embed into the Premiership a smoother transition in terms of investment into their stadium. From the start of the 2024/25 season, the responsibility of determining the MSC will transfer to the Professional Rugby Board.

Championship clubs have again been invited to play in the Premiership Rugby Cup and this invitation has already been extended for the 2025/26 season.

All parties want a viable, sustainable, and valued second tier that can produce clubs capable of competing in the Premiership and providing the jeopardy and competition that keeps the league vibrant. However, there is currently a major gap in competitiveness and playing budgets between the Gallagher Premiership and Championship clubs and the financial requirements needed to compete in the Gallagher Premiership. ‘