WRU announce plan to reduce number of professional sides to three by 2027
WRU announce plan to reduce number of professional sides to three by 2027
Subscribe to the Businessin Wales daily newsletter for FREE here.
Welsh rugby is set for major change after the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) confirmed plans to reduce the number of professional teams from four to three by 2027.
The Union has pledged to honour its current funding commitments to all four regional sides, with Ospreys and Scarlets contracted until June 2027, and Cardiff and Dragons until 2028.
However, the WRU says it intends to fund only three professional sides “as soon as possible”, potentially as early as the 2026–27 season.
Under the new structure, the three teams will receive equal funding, starting at £6.4 million per year and rising to £7.8 million, with the intention of maintaining one team in the east, one in Cardiff, and one in the west.
If the current four regions cannot agree on how this realignment should take place, for example through a merger, the WRU plans to launch an open tender process to award the three professional licences.
The governing body says the decision reflects the financial and playing realities within Welsh rugby, insisting that only three fully professional teams are capable of being both sustainable and competitive in the long term.
Originally, the WRU’s “radical step” proposal suggested cutting to just two professional teams, but feedback from players, coaches, supporters, and stakeholders led to the revised plan for three.
WRU chairman Richard Collier-Keywood also confirmed that discussions will need to take place with the United Rugby Championship (URC) to reduce the number of Welsh entrants in the 16-team competition.
Speaking at a press conference in Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, Collier-Keywood, said; “We have heard loud and clear from the consultation that people want a long-term fix and not a short-term patch. We have listened and we agree.
“Our decision is that the future structure of elite men’s rugby will be based on three professional men’s clubs, replacing the current four-team model, alongside two women’s elite teams.”
The WRU confirmed additional investment of £40 million across five years in Welsh rugby from the elite level to the pathways. £28 million of this will go into:
- Improved coaching and education
- Men’s national academy with two regional training centres
- 12 men’s Player Development Centres
- A women’s national academy
- Three women’s Player Development Centres with nine satellite locations
- Additional investment in Super Rygbi Cymru and Celtic Challenge teams
- A new Talent and Insight Management Department which will manage talent identification, recruitment, retention and development across both men’s and women’s rugby
“Any change is difficult, and we have current contractual obligations to the URC and our professional clubs that we will honour in the absence of new agreements,” Collier-Keywood added.
“We want to involve the URC and the owners and managers of the current clubs in how we get to our chosen destination. This may take some time, but we will work hard to get this done as quickly as possible.
“If, however, it ultimately proves impossible to reach a consensus on how this change will happen then the WRU will run a fair and transparent tendering process for the three licences. We have already guaranteed that all existing player contracts will be honoured.”
The WRU also announced significant investment in the women’s game, including two elite women’s teams, a Women’s National Academy, and a new domestic league.
Independent Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Women’s Rugby Committee, Amanda Bennett, said: “This is a transformative moment for women’s rugby in Wales.
“The WRU’s commitment to funding and infrastructure will help us attract and retain top talent and build a competitive domestic structure. We all saw the amazing success of the Women’s World Cup tournament this year. This is an area for growth in the sport both globally and in Wales.”
Want more from Businessin Wales? Why not follow us on our socials
Listen to the Businessin Wales podcast
