Super League expansion dates confirmed as York Knights and Bradford Bulls await fate
Super League hopefuls will discover their fate later this week as the competition prepares to expand to 14 teams.
The 2025 club grading scores and rankings will be published on Thursday at 10am, with a separate announcement 24 hours later to reveal the additional sides selected by a panel.
Bradford Bulls and double winners York Knights are among the Championship clubs in the running to join an expanded Super League, alongside second-tier champions Toulouse Olympique and the ambitious London Broncos.
Should the embattled Salford Red Devils drop out as expected, there will be three new clubs in the top tier next season.
Nine clubs submitted formal applications in total, including existing sides Huddersfield Giants and Hull FC as fail-safes.
Super League clubs voted to increase the number of teams to 14 in July, provided certain conditions were met.
The grading system will decide the first 12 clubs in a repeat of 2025, while a seven-strong panel chaired by non-executive RFL director Lord Jonathan Caine was assembled to select the additional teams.
In addition to the five pillars used in the grading process – fandom, performance, finances, stadium and community – clubs are being judged on their financial performance in 2025, their forecasts through to 2028 and their ability to field a competitive side from 2026 onwards.
It signals a move back to 14 teams for the first time since 2014.