Salford RLFC will open the Championship season up in under a week and they’ve confirmed a host of special guests are set to attend the game, including former head coach Paul Rowley.

After Salford Red Devils’ torrid 2025 campaign, the club liquidated and that led to their relaunch with Mason Caton-Brown leading the winning bid to take charge of the club for 2026.

A rebrand to Salford RLFC and the appointment of former club captain Ryan Brierley as CEO has resulted in impressive season ticket sales despite the late notice of everything, and now the club are trying to attract more fans to their season opener by confirming an array of special guests.

Salford RLFC will host Oldham on Friday, 16th January at the CorpAcq Stadium (formerly Salford Community Stadium) and they’ve now announced five special guests, including two former players and former coach Paul Rowley will be in attendance at the match.

Salford RLFC confirm Paul Rowley among big names at season opener

Rowley will be joined by Chris Hill, who left to join Bradford Bulls and then retired at the end of the 2025 season, and former Super League Man of Steel Jackson Hastings, who recently rejoined Rowley at St Helens.

Hastings has already taken to social media to confirm that he’s ‘honoured’ to be invited to the game with he, Hill and Rowley set to be in the hospitality lounge, where tickets remain available for fans of the club to ‘rub shoulders with legends’ of the club.

As well as the trio of former Red Devils, Salford have also confirmed that a member of England’s 2025 European Championship-winning squad will be in attendance with Manchester United’s Jess Park set to attend the game.

Park is a client of Salford RLFC CEO Ryan Brierley, who has built a career as a football agent, and the Manchester United midfielder will be joined by freestyle football world champion Liv Cooke, both of whom will also be in the hospitality lounge for the clash with Oldham.

Salford fans will be sure to turn up in numbers at the ground and for those who book into the hospitality lounge, they’ll get to meet some club legends and a pair of footballing stars too.

As yet, Salford have announced just over 10 players to have signed but it’s expected that more will be confirmed, as well as the possibility of some loan signings as well ahead of Friday’s Championship opener.

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