The Super League Returns: 30 Years on, It's Back to the Future
The Super League is back, 30 years on, with a new 14-team format and fresh faces, including York Knights and Toulouse Olympique.
York Knights and Toulouse Olympique are the new additions, joining a 14-team format that includes previous champions Bradford Bulls.
Thirty years on from the Super League's debut season, the top-tier British rugby league competition returns on Thursday night - and if you look closely, there are more talking points than ever to separate the embryonic summer rugby season from the 2026 edition.
As in 1996, this year's season kicks off with a new structure and new feelings. After over a decade as a 12-team competition, we're back to a 14-team format, with debutants York Knights and returning Toulouse Olympique, replacing Salford Red Devils, whose financial woes have finally caught up with them.