CHANGES FOR THE 2025/26 SEASON - PROMOTION AND RELEGATION

CHANGES FOR THE 2025/26 SEASON - PROMOTION AND RELEGATION

The RFU have been making some changes for the 2025/26 season. The Papa John Cup competition has gone, to be replaced by ‘meaningful’ promotion and relegation play-offs at Regional level. These will take place in April/early May at the end of the regular season.

As for previous seasons, National 2 North position 13 and 14 teams (the bottom two teams) will be automatically relegated to Regional 1 level, and the winners of Regional 1 North East and Regional 1 North West will be promoted to National 2 North for 2026/27. 

Now the new bit. The National 2 North position 12 team (third from bottom) is no longer ‘safe’ and will have to face the winner of a Regional 1 NE and NW play-off to determine which team plays in National 2 North in 2026/27. To get there, the teams at positions 2 and 3 at Regional 1 NE and NW respectively will play off. The winners of the NE and NW play-offs will then play-off against each other to decide which team will meet the National 2 North position 12 team in the decider. With me so far? The winner of that game will play in National 2 North in 2026/27, and the looser will play in Regional 1 NE or NW.

At the other end of the Regional 1 leagues, positions 11 and 12 (the bottom two) will be automatically relegated, as currently happens, and will be replaced by Regional 2 league winners. However, the teams at positions 9 and 10 in Regional 1 leagues will no longer be ‘safe’, They will play-off and the winner will be safe. The loser will then have to play off against the winner of the Regional 2 promotion play-off to decide which team plays in Regional 1 in 2026/27 and which team plays in Regional 2.

If this is all somewhat confusing, then please see the RFU full explanation at:

https://rfu.widencollective.com/assets/share/asset/utwhqamevn

Best of luck!

Whilst all this is going on, the other teams in Regional 1 leagues have finished their seasons. So, whilst coaches may want to avoid play-off games, Club Treasurers may like the idea of a few extra paydays, assuming their team have a home draw! All to play for.