North Wales Crusaders have issued a heartfelt statement to their fans to confirm that they are still in the dark over their 2027 future, admitting that the Rugby Football League are yet to get back to them over their licence to play next year.
The Crusaders were tossed aside by former owners EggChasers, who confirmed in early April that they would withdraw funding from the club. That resulted in a number of games going unfulfilled and the Welsh side seemed on the brink of going bust before former owner Jamie El-Kaleh launched a rescue company.
An RFL statement in early May confirmed that the rescue company, NR Rugby League 26 Limited, had been granted the licence for the remainder of 2026 but El-Kaleh and the club recently met with the RFL to try and secure next year’s licence.
They confirmed that a fortnight ago, however, a fresh statement released just after their final home game of the season has revealed that there is yet to be any clarity and that’s seen the club actively call on the RFL to make a decision.
The Crusaders have yet to win a match since the rescue company took over, with many of the contracted players having left when EggChasers pulled funding. Since the club’s return to action in May, they have lost all 13 games and conceded an average of over 91 points per match.
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Rugby League club at their most ‘demoralising point’ as they await answers
A statement penned by chairman Jamie El-Kaleh was shared via the club’s social media channels, explaining the situation, mainly that the RFL are yet to make a decision on the club’s future – something that the club claim they need to make ‘informed decisions’.
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The statement read: “Following the conclusion of our final home fixture of the year, I am writing to you directly to share where things stand.
“Last Sunday, our leadership, staff, and players were put in an unacceptable position. We had to face our loyal fans, partners, and sponsors and frankly admit that we still have no answers as to whether we will have a licence for 2027.
“To be direct, this is the most difficult and demoralising point of this entire process. Standing in front of people who pour their passion, time, and financial investment into this club with no clarity on our future, it leaves us feeling utterly helpless, and quite frankly, it is not right.
“We want to be entirely transparent with you: we have contacted the RFL urgently for answers. We have given them everything they have asked for throughout this process.
“We demand clarity. We need urgent, definitive answers regarding our licensing status immediately so we can make informed decisions about how we proceed. I want closure this week.
“Thank you for your unwavering support through this challenging time.”
Clarity on our current position 👇 pic.twitter.com/Ui8gPXsG7n
— Wales Crusaders (@WalesCrusaders) August 25, 2026
