Welcome to The Proving Ground
English rugby’s second tier reveals new competition format and brand as it gears up for the 2025-26 season.
- New competition structure includes the introduction of both champion and relegation play-offs
- Introduction of a bold new brand identity: Champ Rugby, The Proving Ground
A transformed competition format for the second tier of English rugby for the 2025-26 season and beyond, as well as a bold new-look identity has been revealed.
Re-branded ‘Champ Rugby’, the competition will become a 14-team league with play-offs designed to elevate player development, club sustainability and competitive integrity. Worcester Warriors, which recently gained a place after a rigorous selection process, and Richmond, the 2024-25 winners of National League 1, will join the existing 12 clubs that currently form the Championship.
The league’s new visual identity positions Champ Rugby as the proving ground for players, clubs, and communities and is aligned with the league's growth trajectory. It also supports the league's vision to inspire and engage current and future generations of rugby fans while bringing commercial sustainability and growth to its clubs.
All teams will play each other in home and away fixtures over 26 rounds. At the end of the 26-round Champ Rugby regular season, the table will be split into qualification stages. The teams ranked from third to sixth will participate in the quarter-finals to earn entry into the semi-finals, where the winners will take on the top two ranked sides.
The winners of the semi-finals enter the final to determine the Champ Rugby champion.
The overall winner will then face the bottom Premiership Rugby club in a promotion/relegation play-off, in both a home and away leg, to determine which league they will play in for the following campaign, subject to meeting the minimum standards criteria.
At the bottom end of the table, the team that finishes in 14th place will be relegated to National 1. The teams that finish in 12th and 13th will face off in a one-legged fixture, with the loser taking part in a play-off against the runner-up of National 1 to determine who will play in Champ Rugby for the following season. This play-off (Access Final) will be a one-legged fixture, with the winner joining the champion of National League 1 in Champ Rugby, subject to the teams meeting Champ Rugby Minimum Operating Standards.
Simon Gillham, Tier 2 Board Chair, said: “We are excited to announce the structure of Champ Rugby, which will bring a highly competitive and gripping conclusion to the season, providing both aspiration and jeopardy.
“We have worked closely with the clubs and stakeholders on developing a compelling league format that rewards ambition and plays a key role in growing the sport, supporting both player and club development.
“Building up English rugby’s second-tier competition is critical to the transformation of the elite game in this country, and we are at the start of that journey. Delivering high-quality event day experiences, gripping on-field drama at the conclusion of the season, and more compelling digital and visual content will support our transformation aims for the league.
“We have developed a really strong brand identity which we believe showcases everything the league represents and the impact we know it will have on the sport, our players, communities and fans. It will appeal to both existing supporters of the league, as well as being exciting and compelling for a new and younger audience, as well as importantly, potential sponsors and investors in the league.
“We look forward to seeing the new brand roll-out across both central Champ Rugby channels as well as those of the clubs as preparation for the 2025-26 season starts in earnest.”
A detailed fixture release will be announced in the coming weeks.