The structure and key dates for the newly-merged Championship competition have finally been confirmed ahead of the fixtures being released early next month.<\/p>\n
The make-up of the league has been debated for a number of months, ever since it was confirmed that the Championship and League 1 would merge to create a 21-team competition.<\/p>\n
With every side unable to play each other twice owing to the fact that would yield a 40-game regular season, a unique \u2018pendulum\u2019 model has been devised which ensures clubs will play the teams they finished around in the 2025 campaign as much as possible.<\/p>\n
Love Rugby League has already revealed the expected fixture list for every one of the 21 clubs that will compete in the competition. That can be found here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n But some key dates have now emerged after clubs were given permission from the Rugby Football League to reveal when and where they will be playing.<\/p>\n The Championship campaign for 2026 will start on the weekend of 17-18 January next year, with the regular season running all the way through to the last weekend of August (29-30).<\/p>\n The following weekend, a 10-team play-off competition will begin, which will be held from 5-6 September through to the Grand Final on the weekend of October 3 and 4.<\/p>\n Every team will play 24 games, which means a guaranteed 12 home games \u2013 with further fixtures to be allocated in the Challenge Cup, the 1895 Cup and the possibility of being involved in the play-offs.<\/p>\n As for the 1895 Cup, it has been heavily speculated that the competition will move away from Wembley Stadium next year, with the final being played in the north of England instead. There has been no definitive confirmation of that as things stand.<\/p>\n THURSDAY\u2019S READS ON LRL<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49\ud83c\udffbExclusive: Major Magic Weekend update as decision made on event with four venues in running<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49\ud83c\udffb \u201cBring him in\u201d: Andy Farrell backed for England job by Great Britain icon<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49\ud83c\udffb How new-look London Broncos could line up in 2026 including SEVEN Papua New Guinea stars<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49\ud83c\udffb Cameron Munster targeted for shock rugby union switch after Ashes heroics<\/a><\/p>\n