The year 2026 could hold more drama than 2025 for Welsh rugby
Welsh rugby’s future should become clearer early in the new year(Image: 2025 Getty Images)
Welsh rugby has never been short of drama, but 2025 will take some beating.
It started with departure of Warren Gatland as Wales head coach midway through a Six Nations campaign which resulted in a second consecutive Wooden Spoon. Matt Sherratt replaced Gatland in an interim period before Steve Tandy was confirmed as his permanent successor.
Off the field Welsh rugby has resembled a soap opera, with the WRU initially assuring supporters it would be sticking with four regions before announcing plans for a radical restructuring of the professional game.
The optimal structure in the WRU’s director of rugby and elite performance Dave Reddin’s opinion was two professional teams but by the end of the year they have compromised on three.
Next year will be painful, but if there is one prediction we would bet our mortgages on it is that it will not be short of drama.
Here are the Welsh rugby headlines you can expect to see in 2026.
WRU announce new owners of Cardiff Rugby
As of today the WRU is down to the final two bidders for Cardiff after taking ownership of the club who entered administration in April.
WalesOnline understands a consortium led by former Cardiff director Martyn Ryan, which includes Rhino CEO Reg Clarke and three Hollywood producers, are one of them.
If they succeed they have big plans for the capital city club, including a scripted TV series.
The Ospreys‘ majority shareholders Y11 Sports & Media have also been linked with purchasing Cardiff, although they have not confirmed this.
Whoever buys Cardiff could hold the key to the WRU’s plans of reducing it to three professional clubs.
But whatever the new structure for Welsh rugby looks like, Cardiff Rugby will have new owners at some point in 2026.
WRU announces consensus on the three teams or that it is going out to tender
January is set to be an explosive month for Welsh rugby.
With a big WRU board meeting scheduled for January the governing body will either announce it has found consensus on who the three professional teams will be moving forward or that it will go out to tender.
If it does not reach consensus on the three teams WRU chair Richard Collier-Keywood has said the licences will go out to tender.
It will start with yet another consultation period, because the four current clubs will have to agree on what the criteria will be before the process begins.
Once that is all agreed each side will have to apply based on the set criteria.
If you think the past six months have been messy this will be another level.
Community clubs call an EGM
WalesOnline understands there is unrest amongst the community clubs about the WRU’s plans to restructure the professional game.
There is a reasonable chance an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) will be called in the new year.
In order to call an extraordinary general meeting, under the WRU’s articles 10% of member clubs would need to agree.
To remove the chair or other board member would then require a majority of those clubs to approve a vote of no confidence in that director or potentially in the board itself.
The relevant director or all directors would then immediately have to step down if there was a vote of no confidence.
An EGM is a realistic possibility and if it results in regime change then it could potentially put an end to the WRU’s radical plans.
More leading Wales internationals head to England
Wales captains Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake have already decided to leave the Ospreys for Gloucester in what is a seismic blow to the WRU’s plans.
The idea behind reducing to three professional teams is to concentrate talent which should lead to improved performances but also to keep the best players in Wales and to attract many back from England.
There is no doubt the WRU will have hoped to retain Morgan and Lake, so that is already a major setback to their plans.
Lake has already gone on record to say the uncertainty surrounding the Ospreys’ future was a big factor behind his decision to sign for Gloucester.
Expect many more players to follow Lake and Morgan to England.
More tough times for Wales
Let’s be realistic; Tandy was always up against it and turning Wales around was always going to be a long-term project.
But on the basis of how Wales went in the autumn it isn’t difficult to envisage another disappointing Six Nations.
The opening clash against England at the Allianz Stadium has the potential to get very ugly.
Wales’ attack looked a bit better in the opening three games of the autumn but they struggled physically against Argentina, New Zealand and South Africa.
Wales will do well to avoid a third successive Wooden Spoon and unfortunately it is a very realistic proposition.
Tandy’s men face Italy at the Principality Stadium in the final game of the Six Nations in what is likely to be a Wooden Spoon decider.
Currently Italy are a better side than Wales but it is still Tandy’s best chance of a victory in the Six Nations.
WRU faces legal challenge
If the WRU moves forward with its plans to reduce the number of professional teams then there is a strong chance it will face a legal challenge from the team that goes.
It is hard to imagine the owners of the three clubs who are currently privately owned accepting extinction.
There has already been significant pushback towards the WRU’s demand for control over the rugby operations of the three remaining clubs while it also wants to centrally contract every Welsh-qualified player.
Whatever team misses out will go down swinging.
WRU to fall out with the URC after announcing crazy plan
According to WRU chair Collier-Keywood the governing body is considering plans to put a semi-professional Super Rygbi Cymru side into the United Rugby Championship.
The URC does not want an odd number of teams so if the WRU pushes forward with plans to drop to three professional clubs it is a problem for the URC.
It could be solved by a team from another nation dropping out or adding a club from elsewhere, with English clubs London Irish and Ealing Trailfinders, along with Georgian outfit Black Lion, mooted.
The URC wanted to bring in a team from the US but this was blocked by the South African Rugby Union who are now full shareholders in the competition.
The WRU is contractually obliged to enter four teams into the URC so if they cannot find a team from another nation, entering an SRC side is a possibility.
But even with an increased level of funding for the chosen SRC there would be some serious issues.
Imagine the likes of RGC or Newport facing the Bulls at high-altitude in Pretoria.
There would be serious health and safety concerns which would devalue the competition.
Don’t forget the URC will have a bearing on the future of the professional game in Wales at least in the short term.
Ospreys go deep in Europe
The Ospreys came out on top in the opening two rounds of the EPCR Challenge Cup, beating both Connacht and Montauban.
They have two remaining fixtures left in the pool stages against Zebre Parma away from home and French giants Montpellier at the Brewery Field.
One win could be enough to secure a home draw in the round of 16.
The Ospreys are a difficult team to beat on their home patch so don’t rule out Mark Jones’ men from reaching a European semi-final.
The 25-cap law to be abolished
There are whispers within Welsh rugby circles that the 25-cap law could be abolished in the near future.
The national coaches will want full access to the players, so even with the Six Nations going down to one fallow weekend and the new Nations Championship competition extending the formal international window, Tandy will surely want the majority of his players based in Wales.
But Morgan and Lake’s decision to cross the Severn Bridge could lead to the breaking of the dam with many more players set to head to England or France.
As a result the WRU might have no choice but to scrap the 25-cap law.
WRU’s plans for women’s rugby become a reality
For all the negativity towards the WRU they have decent plans to improve the women’s game.
The WRU has vowed to raise annual investment from £3.7m to £5.7m by 2030.
They aim to create a Women’s National Academy for players aged 18-23, while player development centres will be expanded into three hubs and nine satellite sites.
The WRU has also promised to increase investment into its two Celtic Challenge teams – Brython Thunder and Gwalia Lightning – and want to keep the best players in Wales.
Expect more positive announcements in 2026.
Tandy introduces fresh blood
Wales’ rebuild will gather pace in 2026 and while Tandy may be tempted to bring back some old faces like Ross Moriarty or Jake Ball he is more likely to want to blood new faces.
Dragons backrower Ryan Woodman could be one new cap in 2026, while scrum-half Che Hope who could come into the reckoning.
Cardiff speedster Tom Bowen has to also be considered and don’t rule out Canterbury Crusaders lock Tahlor Cahill either in the summer or in the autumn should he commit to Wales.