How the English RFU leagues work: the league pyramid explained
The English rugby union league structure is a pyramid run by the Rugby Football Union (RFU). There are 24 England RFU leagues at levels 1 to 6, plus dozens of Counties leagues from level 7 down. Each level has more leagues than the one above, organised by geography. Champions are promoted and bottom clubs relegated, with play-offs at several levels. The one exception is the top tier, where entry is now by criteria.
| Level | RFU league | Leagues | Teams per league | Example clubs in our directory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PREM Rugby (Premiership) | 1 | 10 | Bath, Saracens, Leicester Tigers |
| 2 | Champ Rugby (Championship) | 1 | 14 | Ealing Trailfinders, Bedford Blues, Coventry |
| 3 | National League 1 | 1 | 14 | Rosslyn Park, Plymouth Albion, Birmingham Moseley |
| 4 | National League 2 East / North / West | 3 | 14 | Barnes, Fylde, Clifton |
| 5 | Regional 1 | 6 | 12 | Blaydon, Hull, Farnham |
| 6 | Regional 2 | 12 | about 12 | Cleckheaton, Durham City, Chelmsford |
| 7+ | Counties 1, 2, 3… | Many | Varies | Ashington, Basingstoke, Andover |
Levels 1 to 4 of the English RFU leagues are national. From level 5 down, the RFU groups leagues into four geographical divisions: Northern, Midlands, London & South East and South West. The lower a league sits in the pyramid, the smaller its area, which keeps travel manageable for amateur clubs.
Level 1: PREM Rugby (the Premiership)
PREM Rugby, sponsored as Gallagher PREM Rugby and formerly Premiership Rugby, is the top professional league in English rugby union. Its 10 clubs play a regular season then play-offs, with the final in June. From 2026-27 relegation is no longer automatic: new clubs join through a criteria-based expansion process rather than by winning Champ Rugby.
The 10 PREM Rugby clubs for 2026-27 are unchanged from 2025-26. The season starts on 25 September 2026 and the final is on 19 June 2027.
- Bath
- Bristol Bears
- Exeter Chiefs
- Gloucester
- Harlequins
- Leicester Tigers
- Newcastle Red Bulls (formerly Newcastle Falcons)
- Northampton Saints
- Sale Sharks
- Saracens
Nuance worth knowing: the end of automatic promotion does not completely close the league. A club can still be removed if a stronger, financially viable replacement meets the entry criteria, and any Champ club applying must have played at least one season in Champ Rugby.
Level 2: Champ Rugby (the RFU Championship)
Champ Rugby, formerly the RFU Championship, is the second tier of the England RFU leagues. It has 14 professional and semi-professional clubs. The bottom club is relegated to National League 1 and replaced by that league's champion, while the 12th and 13th-placed clubs face a relegation play-off. Promotion to PREM Rugby is now by criteria only.
Champ Rugby clubs in our directory include Ampthill, Bedford Blues, Blackheath, Chinnor, Cornish Pirates, Coventry, Doncaster Knights, Ealing Trailfinders, Hartpury, Nottingham and Richmond. Champ squads are mostly full-time or part-time professionals, so these clubs are rarely where a new adult player starts, though most run thriving community and junior sections.
Levels 3 and 4: National League 1 and National League 2
National League 1 is a single 14-team league at level 3 of the RFU league structure. The champion goes straight up to Champ Rugby, and the 2nd and 3rd-placed clubs play off for a second chance. Level 4 has three 14-team leagues, National League 2 East, North and West, with clubs placed by location.
National League 1 promotion and relegation (2026-27)
- 1st: promoted to Champ Rugby.
- 2nd v 3rd: play-off. The winner meets the 13th-placed Champ club for a place in Champ Rugby.
- 11th: enters a four-team play-off with the runners-up of the three National League 2 divisions.
- 12th, 13th, 14th: relegated to National League 2 East, North or West, depending on location.
The three level-4 leagues replaced National League 2 North and South in 2022, and each club plays 26 league games. Directory clubs at this level include Barnes, Chester, Cinderford, Clifton, Esher, Harrogate and Havant.
Levels 5 and 6: Regional 1 and Regional 2 leagues
Regional 1 is level 5 of the English RFU leagues, with six leagues of 12 teams: Midlands, North East, North West, South Central, South East and South West. Regional 2 is level 6, with twelve leagues. This is where many large community clubs play: amateur, well organised, and usually with several senior teams.
Regional 2 (level 6), twelve leagues: Anglia, Midlands East, Midlands North, Midlands West, North, North East, North West, Severn, South Central, South East, South West and Thames. In the South West the leagues carry the Tribute Ale sponsor name, for example "Regional 1 Tribute Ale South West". It is the same league.
The number of level-5 leagues went up from four to six in 2022 and the leagues got smaller: Regional 1 Midlands, for example, went from 14 teams to 12. The aim was shorter journeys and fewer mismatched games.
Level 7 and below: the Counties leagues
Below Regional 2, the Counties leagues run from Counties 1 at level 7 downwards. They are organised by county or group of counties, for example Counties 1 Kent or Counties 2 Yorkshire, and this is where most English clubs play. In our directory, 118 of 267 clubs with a confirmed league are in a Counties league.
- Northern Division: Counties 1 Yorkshire, Counties 1 North East, Counties 1 Cumbria, Counties 1 Lancashire & Cheshire
- Midlands Division: Counties 1 Midlands East (North/South), Counties 1 Midlands West (North/South)
- London & SE Division: Counties 1 Kent, Counties 1 Hampshire, Counties 1 Herts, Counties 1 Middlesex, Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex, Counties 1 Eastern Counties
- South West Division: Counties 1 Southern North and South, Counties 1 Western North and West
Counties 2 and 3 split the same areas more finely; Counties 2 Berks/Bucks & Oxon, for example, has East and West leagues. Practical tip: if you are new to rugby, a Counties club is usually the friendliest place to start, as most field a 2nd or 3rd XV where beginners get regular games.
Old RFU league names vs new (the 2022 changes)
The RFU renamed and reshaped levels 4 to 7 in its 2022 Adult Competition Review. National League 2 North and South became three leagues (East, North, West). The old level-5 "Premier" leagues became Regional 1, the level-6 "1" leagues became Regional 2, and county leagues became Counties 1, 2 and 3.
| Level | Before 2022-23 | From 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | National League 2 North, National League 2 South | National League 2 East, North, West |
| 5 | Four leagues, e.g. South West Premier, Midlands Premier, London & SE Premier, North Premier | Six Regional 1 leagues |
| 6 | e.g. South West 1 East/West, Midlands 1 East/West, London 1 North/South, North 1 East/West | Twelve Regional 2 leagues |
| 7+ | e.g. South West 2, Midlands 2, London 2, Yorkshire 1, county leagues | Counties 1, 2, 3… |
Clubs were reallocated on geography as well as level, so a club from the old "South West 1 East" did not necessarily go into a league with the same name. Former South West 1 sides now play mainly in Regional 2 Severn and Regional 2 Tamar at level 6, with promoted clubs in Regional 1 South West. To see where any club plays today, check its profile in our directory or browse South West rugby clubs.
How promotion and relegation work in the RFU leagues
Promotion and relegation are decided on league points. In most England RFU leagues that means 4 for a win and 2 for a draw, plus bonus points for four or more tries or losing by seven or fewer. Champions usually go up automatically, with play-offs at several levels.
- Bonus points matter. A losing bonus point in March can decide a title in April.
- Geography can move you sideways. A promoted club may join a league with a different regional name from the one it expected.
- Restructures override results. When the RFU changes the number of leagues, as in 2022, some clubs move without being promoted or relegated.
- Ring-fencing at the top. From 2026-27 the step from Champ Rugby to PREM Rugby is by application, not by finishing first.
- Lower teams play elsewhere. 2nd and 3rd XVs usually play in merit or reserve leagues that sit outside the pyramid.
How to find a club at the right level for you
Pick a level of the English RFU leagues that matches how often you can train and how competitive you want to be. Then shortlist clubs near you in our directory, check each club's confirmed league on its profile, and contact two or three before you choose.
- Up to 2 sessions a week, social or new to rugby: look for a Counties club, especially one with a 2nd or 3rd XV.
- Experienced, want competitive Saturday rugby: look at Regional 1 and 2 clubs.
- Ex-academy or university first-team player: National League clubs are the likeliest fit.
Browse by area on our county pages, for example Kent, Hampshire or Surrey, or see every rugby union club in the UK.
England RFU leagues vs the rest of the UK
The England RFU leagues cover England only. The UK has four separate pyramids: the RFU runs the English leagues, the WRU runs Welsh leagues, Scottish Rugby runs Scottish leagues, and the IRFU runs the All-Ireland League, which includes clubs in Northern Ireland. Clubs only move within their own nation.
| Nation | Governing body | Top club league | Below that |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | RFU | PREM Rugby | Champ Rugby, National, Regional and Counties leagues |
| Wales | WRU | Super Rygbi Cymru | Championship and regional leagues |
| Scotland | Scottish Rugby | Scottish Premiership | National and regional leagues |
| Ireland (incl. Northern Ireland) | IRFU | Energia All-Ireland League | Provincial leagues run by each branch |
Professional teams in Wales, Scotland and Ireland play in the United Rugby Championship (URC) rather than their domestic leagues. In England the professional clubs sit at the top of the RFU leagues themselves, which is why the English pyramid is the deepest of the four. When people ask about "rugby union leagues in the UK" they almost always mean the English RFU leagues: of the 470 rugby union clubs in our directory, 353 are in England. We compare all four nations in rugby leagues in the UK.
England RFU leagues: frequently asked questions
What are the levels of English rugby union?
Level 1 is PREM Rugby, level 2 is Champ Rugby, level 3 is National League 1 and level 4 is National League 2 (East, North and West). Level 5 is Regional 1 (six leagues), level 6 is Regional 2 (twelve leagues), and Counties 1, 2 and 3 run from level 7 downwards.
How many RFU leagues are there?
There are 24 England RFU leagues at levels 1 to 6: one each at levels 1 to 3, three at level 4, six at level 5 and twelve at level 6. Dozens more Counties leagues sit below that, run by the RFU's four geographical divisions with the county unions.
Is there relegation from the Premiership?
Not automatically. From 2026-27 the RFU ended automatic promotion and relegation between PREM Rugby and Champ Rugby. A club could still be replaced if a stronger, financially viable candidate meets the entry criteria.
What league is South West 1 now?
South West 1 East and West were level-6 leagues until 2021-22. Since the 2022 restructure, level 6 in the South West is covered by Regional 2 South West and Regional 2 Severn (sponsored as Tribute Ale). Clubs were reallocated by location, so check a club's profile for its current league.
What does "Counties 1" mean in rugby?
Counties 1 is level 7 of the English rugby union pyramid, the highest of the county-based leagues. Examples include Counties 1 Kent, Counties 1 Yorkshire and Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex.
Is the rugby union league structure the same across the UK?
No. The RFU leagues cover England only. Wales has Super Rygbi Cymru and the community Championship leagues, Scotland has the Scottish Premiership and National Leagues, and clubs in Northern Ireland play in the All-Ireland League run by the IRFU. Only the English RFU leagues include fully professional clubs.
Sources and further reading
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