R360: The Rebel Rugby League Ready to Debut in 2026, With a Future?

The Rebel League R360: A Threat to International Rugby?

News and rumors about the R360 rugby league, a competition considered rebellious, continue to generate excitement. It is reported that the league has secured funding for three years, with the intention of starting in 2026. However, the proposal has suffered a setback after the announcement of several important unions. These have declared that players who participate in the rebel league will not be eligible to represent their national teams, which would exclude them from the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. The situation has provoked diverse reactions. Wallabies center Len Ikitau has stated that it is unlikely he will join the competition if it means missing the World Cup at home. For his part, Northampton and England fly-half Fin Smith, although he renewed with his club, understands the temptation that the R360 money can represent for other players.

My priority was to stay in England and have 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 clear that I wanted to stay in England and I am very happy with my decision to remain in Northampton.

Fin Smith

What is Rugby360?

The competition is led by Mike Tindall, former England player; Stuart Hooper, Bath executive; 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 current club rugby. It is planned to include eight men’s and four women’s teams, with a condensed season and “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 as disruptive models in sport. The league has aroused the interest of investors from the Premier League, Formula 1 and the NFL.

Funding Sources and Objectives

The competition’s funding comes from sports investment funds and private investors from Saudi Arabia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The league has already received the necessary funding for its launch in 2026, with the goal of being profitable in 2027. It is reported that an investor from Baller League and the Professional Fighters League is helping to finance the project. The league has set its sights on rugby and rugby league players from around the world, offering contracts that could reach 12 million Australian dollars in three years. Some pre-contracts could be worth up to 1.5 million Australian dollars. The focus has also been placed on Australia’s NRL competition, with Reece Walsh, NRL champion with the Broncos, and Nathan Cleary, three-time champion, on the target list. Other NRL players, such as Cameron Munster, Ryan Papenhuyzen, and Xavier Coates from the Melbourne Storm, Payne Haas and Deine Mariner from the Brisbane Broncos, New Zealand Warriors fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Zac Lomax from the Parramatta Eels, and Jye Gray from the South Sydney Rabbitohs, have also been contacted. Haas, according to reports, was planning to meet with the league in October to discuss a possible code change, requesting at least 3 million Australian dollars to consider the proposal. However, the meeting was delayed while his management team sought to clarify their obligations to the NRL. The NRL has taken drastic measures, imposing 10-year bans on any player who joins the R360, as well as any agent who negotiates the transfer of their clients to the rebel league.

This morning, the Australian Rugby League Commission met to discuss the R360. This meeting was preceded by discussions with the Club Advisory Committee and by recent calls in which the clubs expressed their concern about the impact of the R360 on our game and supported the ARLC taking a firm stance in response to this threat.

Phil Gould

France scrum-half Antoine Dupont has also been contacted, as has former Wallabies and Argentina coach Michael Cheika. Springboks, All Blacks, and Pumas superstars are also in the sights. The R360 claims that its new format “will greatly reduce the burden on players and capture the attention of a new generation of fans worldwide.”

Eligibility and International Representation

A crucial fact for the league is the joint declaration of eight of the main rugby unions: England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Italy, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. These unions announced that any player who signs with the rebel league will not be eligible for international selection.

In their statement, the unions urge players and support staff to be extremely cautious when considering joining the R360. They accuse the league of seeking profits for a small group, leaving the foundations of the game exposed, and state that they have not been informed about the R360’s plans regarding the well-being of the players or how the competition would fit into the international calendar. The Welsh Rugby Union, although it did not sign the declaration, indicated that players who join the league could lose eligibility for national selection. The rebel league responded by criticizing the joint declaration, stating that they wish to collaborate with the global calendar. Their position is that players should have the opportunity to represent their country and they wonder why the unions would stand in their way.

Locations and Planned Dates

The R360 plans to hold matches worldwide, including stadiums such as Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Barcelona’s Camp Nou, and Sao Paulo’s MorumBIS. New York and Los Angeles have also been mentioned, and franchises are expected to be based in London, Miami, Tokyo, Dubai, Boston, Cape Town, Lisbon, and Madrid. Originally, the competition considered two playing windows, from April to June and from August to September, but this has changed. Now, the league intends to start in October 2026. However, this could be delayed, as the competition has not yet obtained approval from World Rugby. Although the competition has secured funding for at least three seasons, the start in October could coincide with the new global women’s WXV series, while future editions could overlap with the Rugby Championship or even matches prior to the 2027 Rugby World Cup. The official approval request, which was to be discussed by the World Rugby council on September 23, was withdrawn. The competition postponed its sanction request until at least June of next year, which raises doubts about whether it can launch on time.

Reasons for the Development of the R360

It is evident that rugby worldwide faces difficulties, with at least 12 professional teams disappearing in recent years, including the Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby Pacific and Wasps and Worcester RC in the Premiership. Furthermore, seven out of ten clubs in the United Kingdom have more debts than assets. Transmission agreements, such as those in Australia and the United Kingdom, have relegated rugby to a pay-per-view model, reducing spectator participation.

Rugby is feeling the consequences of recent years, with poor financial management, a decrease in investment in the club game, and a product that is struggling to evolve. Clubs around the world are feeling the pressure and are being sustained by the international game. The lack of innovation and rugby’s inability to change risks losing its appeal to new audiences and its younger market.

Mike Tindall