R360: The Rebel Rugby League Ready to Take Off in 2026, At What Cost?

The Rebel League R360: A Challenge to Traditional Rugby

News and rumors about the R360 rugby league, a disruptive proposal in the sports world, continue to generate anticipation. It is reported that the league has secured funding for three years, with the intention of starting in 2026. However, this project faces significant obstacles. The preconditions to the contract stipulated that financing had to be secured before October 1st, a date on which 200 contracted players were informed that the deadline had been met. However, the league has suffered a hard blow. The main rugby unions have announced that players participating in this rebel league will not be eligible to represent their national teams, which would essentially exclude them from the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

Wallabies center, Len Ikitau, has expressed his unwillingness to join the competition if this means missing the World Cup in his country.

The Northampton and England fly-half, Fin Smith, although he renewed with his club, never considered playing in the R360. Smith understands the players tempted by the economic offers.

My priority was to stay in England and have the opportunity to play for my country and, hopefully, go to the World Cup.

Fin Smith

What is Rugby360?

Led by former England center Mike Tindall, Bath executive Stuart Hooper, Mark Spoors from Wasserman (a US sports marketing agency), and former LIV Golf lawyer John Loffhagen, the competition seeks to position itself above club rugby. The tournament will include eight men’s and four women’s teams, competing in a condensed season format with “Grand Prix” style events around the world, encompassing 16 matches. The concept is inspired by the Indian Premier League (IPL) and LIV Golf as sports disruptors. The league has sparked the interest of investors from the Premier League, Formula 1, and the NFL.

Where does the money come from?

The competition’s funding comes from sports-dedicated investment funds and private investments from Saudi Arabia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. According to reports, the competition has already secured the necessary funding to start in 2026, with the goal of being profitable in 2027. It is reported that an investor in the Baller League and the Professional Fighters League is contributing to the financing of the launch.

Who is it for and how much could they earn?

Players from rugby and rugby league around the world have been contacted. Some have received contract offers of up to 12 million Australian dollars over three years. According to reports, some pre-contracts reach £750,000 (1.5 million Australian dollars). The Australian NRL competition is also a target, with Reece Walsh and Nathan Cleary on the list of rugby league stars. 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, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck from the New Zealand Warriors, Zac Lomax and Jye Gray from the South Sydney Rabbitohs, have also been contacted. Haas was scheduled to meet with the league in October to discuss a possible code change, requesting at least 3 million Australian dollars, but the meeting was delayed while his management team sought to clarify his obligations to the NRL. The NRL has taken extraordinary measures, imposing 10-year bans on any player who joins R360, as well as on any accredited agent who negotiates a transfer to the rebel league. Phil Gould, a prominent figure in rugby league, posted on X:

At this morning’s meeting, the ARLC approved the issuance of a formal policy statement that will prevent any player participating in R360 from re-entering the NRL for a period of 10 years.

Phil Gould

In addition, French scrum-half Antoine Dupoint has been contacted, as well as former Wallabies and Argentina coach Michael Cheika. The focus has also been placed on the stars of the Springboks, All Blacks and Pumas. R360 claims that the new format “will greatly reduce the burden on players and capture the attention of a new generation of fans worldwide.”

Eligibility and International Representation

One of the biggest obstacles for the league was the joint declaration by eight of the main rugby unions (England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Italy, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa), announcing that any player who signs with the rebel league would not be eligible for international selection.

In their statement, they urged players and support staff to be extremely cautious when considering joining R360. 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 about R360’s plans regarding the well-being of the players or how the competition would fit into the international calendar. While the Welsh Rugby Union did not sign the declaration, it did indicate that players who joined the league could lose eligibility for the national team. The rebel league criticized the joint declaration and affirmed its desire to collaborate with the global calendar.

Our philosophy is clear: if players want to play for their country, they should have that opportunity. Why would unions stand in their way?

R360 Statement

They also added:

We want to work in collaboration as part of the global rugby calendar.

R360 Statement

Where will R360 be held?

R360 plans to hold events worldwide, including the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Camp Nou in Barcelona, and MorumBIS in Sao Paulo, as well as New York and Los Angeles. The franchises are expected to be based in London, Miami, Tokyo, Dubai, Boston, Cape Town, Lisbon, and Madrid.

When will R360 be held?

Originally, the competition considered two playing windows from April to June and from August to September, but this has changed, and now the league is determined to start in October 2026. However, this could be delayed, 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 could coincide with the new global women’s WXV series, and 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, 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 is evident 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, while seven out of ten teams in the UK owe more than they own. Furthermore, broadcast agreements, such as those in Australia and the United Kingdom, have placed rugby behind a paywall, reducing spectator participation. According to Tindall, “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.” Tindall adds:

Clubs around the world are feeling the pressure and are being propped up by the international game.

Mike Tindall

Also mentions:

The lack of innovation and rugby’s inability to change risks losing its appeal to new audiences and its younger market.

Mike Tindall