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#Post#: 13407--------------------------------------------------
Information regarding promotion and relegation from national one
By: Rucko Date: February 13, 2026, 2:57 am
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Just spotted this on Plymouth Albions site
As announced in June, play-offs were introduced for both
National One and National Two for the 2025/26 season.
Following the rebrand of the Championship to Champ Rugby, the
second-tier competition introduced its own play-offs, including
a Champ relegation play-off.
So with that in mind, here’s how promotion, relegation and the
play-off structures will work for National One and National Two:
Championship Relegation and National 1 Promotion
– The bottom club in the Champ will be relegated to National 1.
– The winner of National 1 will be promoted to Champ Rugby,
provided that they meet the Champ Rugby Minimum Operating
Standards. If the winner does not meet the standards, the
highest place club who do will be promoted.
– The clubs second and third best in National 1, who meet the
Champ Rugby Minimum Operating Standards, will enter a National 1
Promotion play-off.
– The winner of that play-off will then enter the ‘Champ
Accession Final’ where they will play the loser of the Champ
Relegation play-off game between the teams placed 12th and 13th
in Champ Rugby.
– The winner of the ‘Champ Accession Final’ will join the
champions of National 1 in Champ Rugby. The loser will play in
National 1.
Schedule
9th May – National 1 Promotion play-off
16th May – Champ Relegation play-off
23rd May – Champ Accession Final
National 1 Relegation and National 2 Promotion
– The bottom three clubs in National 1 will be relegated to
National 2.
– The top teams in each of the three National 2 leagues will be
promoted to National 1.
There are also play-offs that impact the bottom of National One:
– The club finishing in 11th position in National 1 and the
clubs finishing in second place in the three National 2 leagues
will enter the ‘National 2 Promotion play-offs’.
– The National 1 club will play the National 2 club with the
poorest league record and the other two National 2 clubs will
play each other.
-The winners of those matches will meet in the ‘National 1
Accession Final’.
-The winner of that game will play in National 1 and the rest in
National 2.
Schedule
9th May – National 2 Promotion play-offs
16th May – National 1 Accession Final.
National Two Relegation and Regional 1 Promotion
– The bottom two clubs in each of the three National 2 leagues
will be relegated to the regional leagues
– The winners of each of the six regional leagues will be
promoted to National 2
There are also play-offs that impact the bottom of National Two:
From an NLR perspective, the 12th-placed sides in National Two
North, East and West will host the winners of the Regional
play-offs in the three ‘NLR 2 Accession Finals’.
Schedule
9th May – National 2 North, East and West Accession Finals
PLEASE NOTE: In all play-off games, the game will be played on
the ground of the club at the highest league level.
If both clubs are at the same league level, the game will be
played on the ground of the club with the best playing record in
the season just completed.
#Post#: 13408--------------------------------------------------
Re: Information regarding promotion and relegation from national
one
By: richiekaye Date: February 13, 2026, 4:32 am
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Good news if true, so if Roth finish 2nd or 3rd we’re in a
playoff.
Hopefully Clifton Lane meets whatever ground criteria they’ve
put in place for the league above.
#Post#: 13409--------------------------------------------------
Re: Information regarding promotion and relegation from national
one
By: Steve Bott Date: February 13, 2026, 5:31 am
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Hmmmmm.....so we could end up like they often do in the EFL,
where a team has to play off against a team that finished a long
way adrift of them. I'm happy that there is a play-off against
the Championship team, but not so sure about the 2nd v 3rd.
Unless of course we end up 3rd ;D
#Post#: 13419--------------------------------------------------
Re: Information regarding promotion and relegation from national
one
By: Steveo Date: February 13, 2026, 8:37 am
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I believe that the "Champ Rugby Minimum Operating Standards for
2026/27" has a very complex set of documents regarding the
Minimum Operating Standards including 'Mandatory' 'Essential'
Phased essential' and 'Aspirational' criteria.
Not included in the documents of course is the extent to which
club officials are able to negotiate with the RFU.
#Post#: 13421--------------------------------------------------
Re: Information regarding promotion and relegation from national
one
By: Rothman2 Date: February 13, 2026, 9:58 am
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Here’s the link to the document to which you refer:
HTML https://rfu.widen.net/s/nrghbd8grf/champ-rugby-minimum-operating-standards-for-2026.27
#Post#: 13423--------------------------------------------------
Re: Information regarding promotion and relegation from national
one
By: richiekaye Date: February 13, 2026, 1:25 pm
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Clifton Lane could be the sticking point once again. Does the
Shed have 200 seated and 500 covered places? A section of it
near the half-way line always seems to be taped off for some
reason!
There needs to be an aspiration for capacity to increase to
500/800. Hopefully temporary stands are allowed like they have
at Nottingham.
As for the TV gantry and big screen…
#Post#: 13425--------------------------------------------------
Re: Information regarding promotion and relegation from national
one
By: Stingray2 Date: February 14, 2026, 4:19 am
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The taped off section in the stand is there to prevent standing
supporters obscuring the view of those seated.
#Post#: 13453--------------------------------------------------
Re: Information regarding promotion and relegation from national
one
By: Lindsay Jones Date: February 14, 2026, 12:59 pm
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[quote author=richiekaye link=topic=2128.msg13423#msg13423
date=1771010711]
Clifton Lane could be the sticking point once again. Does the
Shed have 200 seated and 500 covered places? A section of it
near the half-way line always seems to be taped off for some
reason!
There needs to be an aspiration for capacity to increase to
500/800. Hopefully temporary stands are allowed like they have
at Nottingham.
As for the TV gantry and big screen…
[/quote]
Martin has said several times in the press that Roth will have
the required things in place. Lots happening behind the scenes.
The RFU will inspect every club who has applied to meet the
criteria - results of these inspections set for March.
#Post#: 13468--------------------------------------------------
Re: Information regarding promotion and relegation from national
one
By: Rucko Date: February 18, 2026, 2:49 am
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It is pleasing to see that Rotherham are likely to have the
required standards in place.
Does anyone know it Plymouth, Blackheath and Sale have applied
to meet the criteria? It might play a part in which team can
gain promotion.
#Post#: 13469--------------------------------------------------
Re: Information regarding promotion and relegation from national
one
By: Duncang Date: February 18, 2026, 4:16 am
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I would imagine Sale will have no difficulties, Heywood Road is
a Tidy ground.
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