London Broncos placed 16th in RFL gradings but expected to join expanded Super League
On 8 October 2026 the Rugby Football League’s 2026 gradings ranked the London Broncos 16th — below Barrow Raiders — yet London remains set to become the 15th team in an expanded Super League next season.
The Broncos dominated the Championship in 2026, winning all three domestic trophies after assembling a squad containing NRL players, and are owned by Darren Lockyer. Their stated objectives for the year were to both dominate on the field and push for a top-14 position in the RFL gradings that determine Super League admission.
The gradings system admits the highest-ranked 14 clubs each year based on metrics including attendances, on-field performance and finance; London finished 16th, beneath Barrow who are deemed the best-performing Championship club. Under ordinary application of the system that placement would keep London in the Championship for another season.
The Broncos’ likely elevation is linked to a pending partnership between the NRL and Super League, with the Australian governing body insisting any investment deal is conditional on London being in the top flight. Super League officials initially resisted after it became clear London would not make the top 14, but the NRL has pushed back and made clear it wants a London presence in the competition no matter what to increase their chances of the partnership being a success.
An expansion to 15 teams is now under consideration after last year’s move from 12 to 14; London would be granted access despite not being the highest-ranked Championship side under the current promotion and relegation system. Implementing a 15-team Super League would require introducing bye rounds, determining how central distribution is shared among 15 clubs and deciding whether the existing home-and-away fixture format should change, a shift that would raise the number of fixtures from 27 to 29.
Talks between the two leagues are accelerating towards a conclusion, with hopes high an agreement can be struck during the upcoming World Cup in Australia. The framework under discussion would see the NRL take administrative control of Super League’s affairs while providing a significant financial investment.
Wakefield Trinity topped the 2026 gradings with a score of 17.85 out of a possible 20, becoming the fourth different team to finish top since the system began in 2023, with Leeds Rhinos second. Eight clubs achieved Grade A status after scoring 15 points or more; the top 14 are unchanged from this time last year and are guaranteed Super League places in 2027, and they look set to be joined by London if the pending agreement is finalised during the World Cup.