How every Championship team's fixture list will look in 2026 with new-look seeding structure
The schedule for the newly-merged 2026 Championship is getting close to publication – and recent comments from some club executives in recent days have offered a clear hint as to the format.
High-profile individuals from Whitehaven and Barrow have revealed in separate interviews on social media that, as reported by Love Rugby League last month, the bulk of the 21-team league’s structure will not be on geography, but will instead be on league positions in the previous season.
Here is an explanation of how it will all work – so far.
The first 20 games
Every club will be given a seeding based on where they finished the previous year. So as it stands – though we’ll clarify that later – Salford are ranked 1 as they had the highest finish in the pyramid in 2025. Halifax are next, as they progressed the furthest in the play-offs of the remaining teams, Oldham 3 and so on: all the way down to Newcastle, who finished bottom of League 1.
Each team plays 10 other teams at home and away based on the seedings, which makes for 20 games. At this stage, we’d urge you to watch Barrow chairman Steve Neale’s excellent explanation of how the ‘pendulum system’ will work. In short, you’ll play the 10 teams that are closest to you in the seedings.
For example, Salford are going to play the 10 teams left from the Championship. Newcastle would play the 10 above them. If you’re in the middle, you play those who were directly above you and those directly below you.
What about the extra four games?
Four more games are then added based on local rivalries – but here’s the catch, you can’t play a team you’ve already been drawn against in the seedings system. So for example, Workington and Whitehaven are scheduled to already be playing each other – so an extra local derby wouldn’t be added.
Batley and Dewsbury, however, are not drawn against one another in the pendulum system, so that will almost certainly be an extra fixture home and away for both.
Some games that look certain to be added based on the fact they’re not already seeded against each other (both home and away) include Doncaster v Sheffield, Barrow v Whitehaven, Halifax v Dewsbury, Salford v Swinton and, as mentioned the Heavy Woollen Derby of Batley v Dewsbury.
But at this stage, it’s impossible to know what all those loop games will be – though we can lock in 20 of the 24 games every team will play.
The Salford conundrum
As revealed by Love Rugby League last month, and confirmed by Neale himself in his Facebook video, the delay behind publishing this system surrounds Salford.
It remains unclear whether they’ll survive the off-season and if they were to go bust and re-form, there is a debate about whether they should enter as the 1st ranked team, or the last ranked team.
But as it stands, the Red Devils are here, and they’re provisionally number one owing to finishing last in Super League last year.
So with that in mind, here are 20 definite fixtures each club will play in 2026 – with the same ten teams at home and away..
Salford Red Devils
Halifax, Oldham, Featherstone, Widnes, Doncaster, Barrow, London, Sheffield, Batley, Hunslet.
Halifax Panthers
Featherstone, Doncaster, London, Batley, North Wales, Salford, Oldham, Widnes, Barrow, Sheffield.
Oldham
Widnes, Barrow, Sheffield, Hunslet, Workington, Salford, Halifax, Featherstone, Doncaster, London.
Featherstone Rovers
Doncaster, London, Batley, North Wales, Swinton, Halifax, Salford, Oldham, Widnes, Barrow.
Widnes Vikings
Barrow, Sheffield, Hunslet, Workington, Dewsbury, Oldham, Salford, Halifax, Featherstone, Doncaster.
Doncaster
London, Batley, North Wales, Swinton, Midlands, Featherstone, Halifax, Salford, Oldham, Widnes.
Barrow Raiders
Sheffield, Hunslet, Workington, Dewsbury, Rochdale, Widnes, Oldham, Salford, Halifax, Featherstone.
London Broncos
Batley, North Wales, Swinton, Midlands, Goole, Doncaster, Featherstone, Halifax, Salford, Oldham.
Sheffield Eagles
Hunslet, Workington, Dewsbury, Rochdale, Whitehaven, Barrow, Widnes, Oldham, Salford, Halifax
Batley Bulldogs
North Wales, Swinton, Midlands, Goole, Keighley, London, Doncaster, Featherstone, Halifax, Salford
Hunslet
Workington, Dewsbury, Rochdale, Whitehaven, Newcastle, Sheffield, Barrow, Widnes, Oldham, Salford
North Wales Crusaders
Swinton, Midlands, Goole, Keighley, Newcastle, Batley, London, Doncaster, Featherstone, Halifax
Workington Town
Dewsbury, Rochdale, Whitehaven, Newcastle, Keighley, Hunslet, Sheffield, Barrow, Widnes, Oldham
Swinton Lions
Midlands, Goole, Keighley, Newcastle, Whitehaven, North Wales, Batley, London Doncaster, Featherstone
Dewsbury Rams
Rochdale, Whitehaven, Newcastle, Keighley, Goole, Workington, Hunslet, Sheffield, Barrow, Widnes
Midlands Hurricanes
Goole, Keighley, Newcastle, Whitehaven, Rochdale, Swinton, North Wales, Batley, London, Doncaster
Rochdale Hornets
Dewsbury, Workington, Hunslet, Sheffield, Barrow, Whitehaven, Newcastle, Keighley, Goole, Midlands
Goole Vikings
Keighley, Newcastle, Whitehaven, Rochdale, Dewsbury, Midlands, Swinton, North Wales, Batley, London.
Whitehaven
Rochdale, Dewsbury, Workington, Hunslet, Sheffield, Newcastle, Keighley, Goole, Midlands, Swinton
Keighley Cougars
Goole, Midlands, Swinton, North Wales, Batley, Newcastle, Whitehaven, Rochdale, Dewsbury, Workington
Newcastle Thunder
Whitehaven, Rochdale, Dewsbury, Workington, Hunslet, Keighley, Goole, Midlands, Swinton, North Wales
WEDNESDAY’S READS ON LRL
?? Predicted England team for third Ashes Test as George Williams dropped and Herbie Farnworth switched
?? Australia players’ Ashes pay revealed as major sacrifice made for four-week tour
?? Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium set to host major triple-header in 2026
?? Super League winger makes immediate exit to pursue ‘new challenge’
