By Sam Jackson

Promotion and relegation is set to be scrapped in a major restructure at the top of English club rugby.
From the 2026-27 campaign, the 10-team Prem will split from the rest of the rugby pyramid to become a franchise league, with an initial expansion forecast to 12 teams by 2030, and to 20 teams by 2040.
A landmark agreement to reform the structure of professional rugby in England was approved “overwhelmingly” during a vote by the RFU Council on Friday, with 51 votes in favour of switching away from a traditional promotion and relegation system and only four against.
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