Troubled Salford Red Devils are not among the nine clubs to have submitted formal applications to be considered for the Super League expansion to 14 teams in 2026.
The Rugby Football League (RFL) revealed the final list of applicants yesterday, but Salford, who remain mired in financial struggles, have not joined fellow current Super League sides Huddersfield Giants and Hull FC in applying. No other current Super League clubs have submitted to the application process, presumably because the expansion process will see the top 12 teams this season automatically qualify, and they are confident of doing so.
Huddersfield and Hull, along with Salford, were the only Super League sides to miss out on the most recent Grade A rankings, in October 2024, suggesting they are more at risk of losing their spots than their peers.
The other seven clubs that want to be considered for the two-team expansion come from the second-tier Championship division. They are Bradford Bulls, Doncaster, London Broncos, Oldham, Toulouse Olympique, Widnes Vikings, York Knights.
The composition of the 2026 Super League will be confirmed on October 16, with the club grading process confirming the first 12 positions, before a panel decides whether there are sufficiently strong applications to add a two further clubs.
Salford supporters organisation The 1873 have called for a mass protest at this weekend’s home game against Wakefield in what they have dubbed “The Last March.”
The supporters group posted on Instagram: “19th Sept. 2025 – Salford vs Wakefield. We’ve dominated headlines. We’ve exposed bad ownership. We’ve stood together. A history worth fighting for. A future worth protecting. Our last chance to be heard. Don’t stay silent. Make it count. The 1873.”
It has been a dreadful season so far for Salford’s historic rugby club, with much-publicised financial troubles, a mass player exodus on the field, angry C-suite departures off it, late wage payments, a winding up order hanging over the club, and a string of heavy defeats that left the side sat at the bottom of the Super League table.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham – a former president of the Rugby Football League – and Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett are among those keeping an eye on the situation. Burnham promised last month that “Paul and I will do every single thing we can to protect one of the most historic names, not just in rugby league but in sport as a whole.”
