NRL ramps up talks of Super League partnership as Peter V’landys warns of financial ‘train crash’

ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys has warned the Super League is headed towards a financial “train crash” as the NRL ramps up partnership talks with its northern hemisphere counterparts.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – OCTOBER 05: Andrew Abdo, NRL CEO and Peter V'landys, Chairperson of the Australian Rugby League Commission are seen during the NRLW Grand Final match between the Sydney Roosters and Brisbane Broncos at Accor Stadium on October 05, 2025, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys has warned Super League is headed towards a financial “train crash” as the NRL steps up talks of a partnership with its northern hemisphere counterparts.

V’landys and NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo held a high-powered meeting with Super League executives in London on Tuesday that he described to this masthead as “exceptionally positive.”

The under-resourced English game is haemorrhaging with most clubs aware Super League urgently requires NRL intervention and restructuring, having recently announced an expanded 14-team competition for 2026, when the current UK television broadcast deal due to comes to an end.

V’landys, whose UK visit coincides with the Kangaroos Tour, stressed the importance of securing the financial future of the English game.

“All we’ve done is analyse the financial viability and I can see a train crash if they don’t get the broadcast revenue they need to sustain a 14-team competition,” V’landys told the BBC.

“And it all comes back to the finances, and that’s because eventually people will stop wanting to put money in their pockets and sustain losses, and that’s what they’re going to be doing in the short term, unless they can increase their revenue from broadcast.”

Andrew Abdo and Peter V’landys met with IMG executives in London. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

V’landys and Abdo met with UK executives, including Warrington owner Simon Moran, Wigan owner Mike Danson and Hull FC owner Andrew Thirkill.

Rugby football League executives, including senior executive director, Nigel Wood, were also present although influential St Helens chairman Eamonn McManus could not attend due to a prior commitment.

“The meeting went exceptionally well, better than expected,” V’landys told this masthead.

“It was exceptionally positive (around) the NRL’s involvement in Super League.

“There is a way forward and both parties will take back the discussions we had to their stakeholders in Australia and here in England and see how we can move it forward. But there is a lot of work to be done. It’s early days.”

V’landys is adamant the English game has a strong product to sell to broadcasters, hence the NRL’s interest in investing in the Super League. But he has concerns about the business strategy and will expect some form of control of the competition.

“It’s about ensuring the future of rugby league in England. That’s what it’s all about and we have found a possible pathway forward so the game thrives here in England with some involvement from the NRL,” V’landys said.

“But the details are, naturally, commercially sensitive. Negotiations will continue.”

It comes a day after V’landys and Abdo met with executives from IMG, a company known for advising on global broadcast rights deals.

The NRL’s current five-year $1.8 billion broadcast deal, expires after the 2027 season.

On the back of record television ratings, the NRL is looking for an increased deal as it expands to 19 teams with the introduction of Perth in 2027 and Papua New Guinea the following year.

It is all part of its strategic plan to grow the game, which is now likely to include England.

“The NRL wants to prop up the game in England like they have in the Pacific nations,” a source close to negotiations told this masthead.

“The broadcast money here in England has been halved over the past two contracts, Salford went broke, Catalans and Toulouse have to pay for visiting teams to fly there.

“And the two new teams (Toulouse Olympique and York Knights) only get half of the central funding compared to all the other teams. It’s all very poverty stricken.

“The NRL wants to plough money in and fix up these issues so I think they might want to implement an independent commission, like they have in Australia.

“If the NRL can roll this into global TV rights then they can give clubs here in England a grant every year.”

Originally published as NRL ramps up talks of Super League partnership as Peter V’landys warns of financial ‘train crash’