Bradford to return to Super League for the first time in 12 years

Former champions Bradford will return to Betfred Super League for the first time in over a decade in 2026.

The Bulls jumped to 10th place in the IMG club gradings announced on Thursday, meaning they will replace Salford in next season’s top flight.

Bradford finished in a lowly 16th place in last year’s gradings but significant stadium improvements saw them improve by more than two points to 14.81, enough to lift them above existing Super League clubs Castleford and Huddersfield, who ranked in 11th and 12th places respectively.

Salford, beset by an ongoing financial crisis that saw them fail to fulfil a fixture against Wakefield in August, plunged to 15th place and, with the club having failed to apply for consideration for one of the two prospective expansion places, it means their 17-year Super League stay is over.

Bradford were Super League’s dominant force around the turn of the millenium, winning three Super League titles, three World Club Challenges and two Challenge Cups within the space of six years.

Three clubs appear to be in realistic contention for the two prospective expansion places, in the form of Championship Grand Final winners Toulouse, regular season champions York, and newly-invigorated London Broncos.

Toulouse and York occupy 13th and 14th places in the list and will expect to be rewarded, but on-field performance will only be one criteria in the decision, made by a panel chaired by RFL non-executive director Lord Caine.

Hull KR’s treble-winning season saw them jump five places to the top of the rankings on 17.85 points, ahead of Leeds and St Helens. Nine clubs, up to and including ninth-placed Hull FC on 15.06, attained a Grade A ranking, making them immune from relegation next season.