R360: The Rebel Rugby League Ready for 2026, Threat to the World Cup?

alofoke
11 Min Read

The Rebel League R360: A Threat to International Rugby?

Rumors and news about the R360 rugby league, an independent competition, continue to generate excitement. It is reported that the league has secured funding for three years, with the intention of starting in 2026. Originally, the pre-contractual conditions stipulated that the financing should be ready by October 1st, with 200 players informed about the fulfillment of this deadline. However, the league has suffered a significant setback. Several high-level rugby unions have announced that any player participating in the rebel league will not be eligible to represent their national teams, which would essentially exclude them from the 2027 World Cup in Australia. The Wallabies center, Len Ikitau, has already stated that it is unlikely he will join the competition if that means missing the World Cup in his country.

[My agent] knew that my priority was to stay in England and give myself the opportunity to play for my country and, hopefully, go to a World Cup. Most players, when their contracts end, have options, but from the beginning I was very clear that I wanted to stay in England and I am very happy with my decision to stay at Northampton.

Fin Smith, Northampton and England fly-half

What is Rugby360?

The competition is led by former England center Mike Tindall, Bath executive Stuart Hooper, Mark Spoors, executive at Wasserman, an American sports marketing and talent management agency, and John Loffhagen, former LIV Golf lawyer. The goal of this league is to surpass the current club rugby. The league plans to include eight men’s teams and four women’s teams, competing in a condensed season format. The matches would be played in “grand prix” style events around the world, in a 16-match competition. The concept is inspired by the Indian Premier League (IPL) and LIV Golf, considered disruptors in the sport. The league has already sparked interest from investors in the Premier League, Formula 1, and the NFL.

Where does the money come from?

The financing for the competition includes investment funds dedicated to sports and private investment from Saudi Arabia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. According to reports, the competition has received the necessary funding to begin in 2026, with the goal of being profitable by 2027. An investor in Baller League and the Professional Fighters League is helping to finance the launch.

Who are they targeting and how much could they earn?

Rugby and rugby league players from around the world have been contacted, with contracts reportedly reaching 12 million Australian dollars over a three-year period. Some pre-contracts could be worth up to 1.5 million Australian dollars. The competition is also looking for players from the Australian NRL league, with Reece Walsh, winner of the Broncos championship, and Nathan Cleary, three-time champion, at the top of a secret list of rugby league stars. Other NRL players include Cameron Munster, Ryan Papenhuyzen, and Xavier Coates from the Melbourne Storm, Payne Haas and Deine Mariner from the Brisbane Broncos, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck from the New Zealand Warriors, Zac Lomax from the Parramatta Eels, and Jye Gray from the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Haas was reportedly due to meet with the league in October to discuss a possible code switch, demanding at least 3 million Australian dollars to consider the move, but the meeting was delayed due to his management team seeking clarification on his obligations to the NRL. However, the NRL has taken the measure of imposing 10-year sanctions on any player who joins R360, as well as any accredited agent who negotiates a deal for their client to participate in the rebel league. Phil Gould, a prominent figure in rugby league, posted on X:

Phil Gould’s post on X

French scrum-half Antoine Dupoint has been approached, as well as former Wallabies and Argentina coach Michael Cheika. Prominent figures from the Springboks, All Blacks, and Pumas have also been contacted. R360 has stated that the new format “would greatly reduce the burden on players and capture the attention of a new generation of fans worldwide”.

Eligibility and International Representation

In one of the most significant developments for the league, eight of the main rugby unions (England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Italy, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa) issued a joint statement in which they declared that any player who signed with the rebel league would not be eligible for international selection.

“As a group of national rugby unions, we urge extreme caution to players and support staff who are considering joining the proposed R360 competition,” their statement said. “Each national union will inform male and female players that participation in R360 would make them ineligible for international selection.” They accused the league of seeking benefits for a small group, exposing the foundations of the game, and stated that they had not been informed of R360’s plans regarding the well-being of the players or how the competition would align with the current international calendar. “R360 has not given us any indication on how it plans to manage the well-being of the players, how the players would fulfill their aspirations to represent their countries, and how the competition would coexist with international and national calendars…” “The R360 model appears designed to generate profits and return them to a small elite, potentially undermining the investment that national unions and existing leagues make in community rugby, player development, and pathways to participation.” “Each of the national unions will inform male and female players that participation in R360 would make them ineligible for international selection.” While the Welsh Rugby Union did not sign the statement, it did declare that players who sign with the league could become ineligible for national selection. “As we continue to analyze and understand the proposals, we reserve the right not to select male and female players for international service if they participate in this competition. “We reserve the right not to select male and female players for international service if they participate in this competition.” The rebel league quickly criticized the joint statement and stated that they wanted to work together with the global calendar. “Our philosophy is clear: if players want to play for their country, they should have that opportunity,” their statement said. “Why would unions stand in their way? Many players love what R360 can do for them and for the game.” “We want to work in collaboration as part of the global rugby calendar.”

Where will R360 be held?

R360 is planned to take place worldwide, including locations such as the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Camp Nou in Barcelona, and MorumBIS in Sao Paulo. New York and Los Angeles have also been mentioned. Franchises are expected to be based in London, Miami, Tokyo, Dubai, Boston, Cape Town, Lisbon, and Madrid.

When will R360 be held?

Initially, the competition aimed for two game windows, from April to June and from August to September, but this has changed. Now, the league is determined to start in October 2026. However, this could be delayed again, as the competition has not yet obtained the sanction of World Rugby. While the competition has secured funding for at least three seasons, the start in October would coincide with the new global women’s WXV series, while future editions could overlap with the Rugby Championship or even matches leading up to the 2027 Rugby World Cup. An official approval request that was to be discussed by the World Rugby council on September 23 was withdrawn, and the competition postponed its sanction request until at least June of next year, raising doubts about whether it will be able to launch on time.

Why was R360 developed?

It’s an open secret that rugby worldwide is struggling, with at least 12 professional teams having gone bankrupt in recent years, including the Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby Pacific and Wasps and Worcester RC in the Premiership. Furthermore, seven out of ten teams in the UK owe more than they own. Meanwhile, broadcast agreements such as those in Australia and the UK have placed rugby behind a paywall, reducing spectator participation.

Rugby is feeling the consequences of recent years with poor financial management, declining investment in the club game, and a product that is struggling to evolve.

Mike Tindall
According to Tindall, “clubs around the world are feeling the pressure and are being propped up by the international game. Error al procesar la solicitud
Share This Article