2026 USARL season
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| 2026 USARL season | |
|---|---|
 | |
| League | USA Rugby League |
| Duration | May 30th - August 15th, 2026 |
| Teams | 18 |
The 2026 USA Rugby League season is the upcoming 29th season overall of men's amateur and semi-professional rugby league competition in the United States and the 14th season under the governance of the USARL.
Expansion, departures, relocation, and return of the Western Conference
2026 will see the USARL expand to 19 (later to 18) clubs and a return to the West Coast of the US with the Western Conference reinstated. The URLA (Utah Rugby League Association) continues to operate independently until the two parties reach an agreement. Los Angeles Mongrel and West LA Jackrabbits will not officially participate in the league.[1][2][3]
The West expands to nine teams with the return of Los Angeles Bandidos & Sacramento Immortals, the entry of 916ers Rugby (later merged with Sacramento Immortals), and the addition of Bay Area 808s and the West LA Renegades, who are associated with the Wide Bay Renegades in Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia. This will also be the first official league season of the Los Angeles Roosters, which is operated by USARL partner and NRL club Sydney Roosters.[4]
In the Eastern Conference, the 2017 national champions, Atlanta Rhinos, pulled out of the season; it is currently unknown whether they will return to play in the future or if the club has officially folded. The Southwest Florida Copperheads, originally founded in Naples, FL, have moved to Atlanta, GA, and rebranded as the Atlanta Copperheads.[5] The conference expands to 10 teams with the entry of the Sarasota Bull Sharks from Sarasota, FL and the return of the four-time national champion, the New York Knights, after the Super League club, York Knights, announced a partnership and the revival of the club and its brand.[6][7]
The competition format will be announced in the coming days and weeks.
