Super League: Wakefield top rankings as all 14 Super League clubs stay for 2027
Wakefield Trinity has topped the Super League club grading rankings for 2026, with all 14 current clubs set to remain in the competition next season. The rankings, based on IMG criteria, reflect progress in fan experience, finance, and on-field performance.
Why it matters
The grading system represents a significant shift in how professional sports leagues manage sustainability and long-term growth through standardized performance metrics.
Image source, SWPix Image caption, Wakefield have had two consecutive seasons in Super League following promotion in 2024
All 14 Super League clubs will remain in the competition next season after the release of the yearly gradings, with Wakefield Trinity topping the ratings for the first time.
Following their Super League Grand Final success, Wakefield have come top of the ratings, based on criteria formulated by media giant IMG, with marks for five factors - fan experience, finance, stadium, community and on-field performance.
London Broncos have come 16th on the list, below fellow Championship side Barrow Raiders, despite a season in which they won the second tier's Grand Final, the 1895 Cup and were runaway champions in the regular-season standings.
The Broncos were overlooked 12 months ago when Bradford Bulls, York Knights and Toulouse Olympique joined the expanded 14-team competition.
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