Men’s Tier 2 tender process

Over the past 18 months the RFU, Championship Club Committee and Premiership Rugby have been working to develop a reimagined Tier 2. The aim is to create a second tier that supports the English system by developing young English talent, whilst supporting the clubs to become financially sustainable, by growing local audiences and increasing the value in the league.

In April 2024, Council approved the principles of a new governance structure, the Minimum Operating Standards and the principle of Tier 2 comprising 14 clubs from 2025-26.  

The new Tier 2 Board has been operational since 1 July with representatives from the Championship and RFU and is driving plans for the revamped league in the 2025-26 season.  The process to recruit an independent chair is underway.  

The Tier 2 Board is continuing to develop both the commercial growth strategy, competition structure and player development strategy for the new league, as well as overseeing the self-assessment process for current Championship clubs against the minimum operating standards for the new league.  It has also been considering how additional teams might enter the league following Council’s approval in principle of a 14-team league structure for season 25-26.

Council today approved a tender process for additional places in the league, starting with an expression of interest, that will be issued to the whole game on Monday 30th September.  

Once, expressions of interest are received, interested parties will receive a formal submission request and responses will be assessed against the criteria which are: 

• Ability to meet the minimum operating standards.
• Ability to demonstrate financial viability – this includes, where applicable, repayment of rugby creditors (as per RFU Regulation 5).
• Ability to align with the league’s central objectives which will be assessed against three areas: player base and competitiveness; commercial and geography. This will enable the Tier 2 Board to review in detail the clubs' strategies to ensure that clubs’ ambitions are backed by careful and realistic planning and that they are able to demonstrate an alignment with the league’s central growth strategy.

Expressions of interest must be received no later than 5:00 pm Sunday 13th October 2024.