Financially-troubled rugby league club Featherstone Rovers will not compete in the second-tier Championship in 2026 after the Rugby Football League (RFL) denied them membership.
The club went into administration in December and one takeover bid submitted did not meet the required criteria set by the RFL.
The West Yorkshire club faced a winding-up petition over debts and previously said it had no choice but to enter administration as it would be “unable to trade its way out of the present situation due to the level of debt it currently has”.
Rovers had been set to begin their 2026 campaign with a Championship fixture away at Batley Bulldogs on 18 January as well as kicking off their Challenge Cup campaign a week later.
Their fixtures will now be settled via a win percentage system as used during the Covid pandemic, the RFL said in a statement., external
“The RFL will continue to work with the administrator and remains committed to supporting a sustainable return of professional rugby league in the town of Featherstone moving forward,” the statement continued.
“The RFL is acutely aware of the financial impact to member clubs of losing a home fixture. Accordingly, it will ensure that some level of compensation is made available to all clubs suffering the loss of a home fixture.”