Utah’s professional rugby team, the Utah Warriors, announced it will not be participating in the 2026 Major League Rugby season and have suspended all club operations.
In a media release posted to social media, Warriors Co-Founder and CEO Kimball Kjar said the was on track and committed to continue playing in the upcoming season up until just a few days ago.
“Unfortunately, things changed quickly in the past week,” Kjar said.
Kjar did not disclose what led to the decision to suspend operations, instead reflecting on the community that built around the team. He said while it may feel like goodbye, it’s really “just a shift in our focus.”
“In the coming days, we will share how our support for the game will continue and how you can support the incredible rugby community that will carry on the rich and storied legacy of rugby in Utah,” Kjar said.
He later added, “This isn’t the end for rugby in Utah, and when that time comes to welcome professional rugby back to our great state, I look forward to standing next to our entire Warriors nation family to cheer our team, our warriors.”
The Warriors was one of the original teams after MLR was founded in 2018.
In the 2025 season, the Warriors dominated the Western Conference through the regular season but fell short of winning the league following a loss in the Western Conference Finals against Houston SaberCats.
_____