Premiership rugby enters franchise era as promotion and relegation scrapped

The 2026-27 Premiership Rugby season will be the first under a permanent franchise-style model after promotion and relegation were scrapped in February 2025. No club faces the threat of dropping out of England's top flight, a shift formalised after votes by Premiership clubs. No club has been relegated since Saracens went down in 2020. Champions Northampton Saints open the season at home to Newcastle Red Bulls on 25 September.