Aug 19. 2026

Community Rugby season delay: RFU statement

After careful consideration and extensive consultation with clubs across England, we have decided to delay the start of the competitive community game season until the week commencing Monday 21 September. We appreciate this will be disappointing news to clubs, players and volunteers who have been getting ready for and looking forward to the new season but there are a range of factors we’ve considered carefully before making this decision.

Executive summary – what this means for rugby

National League Rugby (NLR) can make a decision subject to RFU oversight on RFU Men’s League matches at National League 1&2 to take place before 21 September.
No competitive matches in RFU Men’s leagues at Regional 1 and below or RFU Women’s Leagues below PWR level will take place before 21 September.
Merit leagues are governed by Constituent Bodies (CB). Fixtures due to take place before 21 September are subject to any CB decision, considering any RFU guidance at the time.
Age grade matches in RFU competitions due to take place before 21 September have been postponed with details below of alternative dates
Friendly matches, where possible due to local conditions, player readiness and safety, may go ahead in order to help prepare players for the competitive season.
Training can continue but it is important pitch safety is assessed before every session and RFU guidance is followed on modifying contact activity on hard grounds.
All rugby activity, including that taking place outside of RFU league matches is subject to continual review and the RFU expects to issue further guidance to clubs, CB’s, schools, colleges and universities in the coming weeks or when new information is available.

Why we’re making this call now

As outlined in our recent guidance on managing pitches and training in drought conditions, prolonged dry weather has left many grounds across the country hard and unsuitable for safe full-contact activity. With no meaningful or lengthy spells of rain currently forecast, these ground conditions are not expected to improve significantly in the short term.

With this in mind, we have taken the decision to delay and to give everyone certainty now. We understand a delayed start has real practical implications – travel bookings, catering and food orders, volunteer planning and more – and we know volunteers always value as much time as possible to plan around a confirmed date rather than a moving target.

This decision has been made on three grounds:

Player welfare – hard, dry pitches increase the risk of injury, particularly in the opening weeks of the season when players are returning to full contact. We recognise that many clubs have had to limit contact training in pre-season training due to the pitch conditions. We want players to return to competition safely and adequately prepared.
Competition integrity – starting the season on pitches that aren’t fit for purpose risks uneven conditions and disruption across fixtures as well as offering advantages for those clubs able to prepare players during pre-season using Artificial Grass Pitches (AGP) – undermining fair competition from the outset.
Planning – a clear, decisive two-week delay gives clubs, schools, colleges and universities the certainty needed to plan training, fixtures, travel and logistics with confidence.

What this means for adult competitions

All fixtures in men’s leagues at Regional 1 level and below due to take place before 21 September should not go ahead as planned; these matches will instead be rearranged by Regional Organising Committees (ROC). It is expected that the November break remains in place.
All fixtures in women’s leagues below PWR currently scheduled to take place before 21 September should not go ahead as planned; these matches will instead be rearranged by RFU Competitions.
Local merit leagues and merit tables are governed and administered by Constituent Bodies under the overarching authority and general regulations of the RFU. CBs, Competition organisers and clubs playing in these leagues will be provided with the suggested guidance from the RFU in regard to the start to the season.
Training can continue in the meantime, but it is important pitch safety is assessed before every session and continue to follow our guidance on modifying contact activity on hard grounds – including greater use of ACTIVATE, avoiding repeated practices that take players to ground, and considering Rugby 365 AGP hire where available.

What this means for age grade competitions

RFU Continental Tyres Schools Cups – U18s will now start from the round two date of 28 September, and U15s from 5 October, with an additional round added in January/February. Schools and Academies will work together to address player load.
AoC Sport College Leagues – Will start from 28 September, with extra rounds added in spare weeks or January.
RFU ACE Boys League – Will start from the week commencing 21 September, using reserve dates and working with teams to reschedule.
RFU ACE Girls League – Will start from its round two date of the week commencing 21 September, with an additional round to be identified in January.
Local leagues, cups and competitions are governed and administered by Constituent Bodies under the overarching authority and general regulations of the RFU. CBs, Competition organisers and teams playing in these leagues will be provided with this suggested guidance from the RFU in regard to the start to the season.
Training can continue in the meantime, but it is important pitch safety is assessed before every session and continue to follow our guidance on modifying contact activity on hard grounds – including greater use of ACTIVATE, avoiding repeated practices that take players to ground, and considering Rugby 365 AGP hire where available.

The following competitions are unaffected due to planned start dates/availability of AGPs and will maintain their existing calendar positions:

RFU Clubs U18 Boys & Girls Cups and U16 Girls Cup
RFU/PREM Academy League
BUCS Super Rugby Men’s League
BUCS Super Rugby Women’s League
BUCS Leagues

This doesn’t mean staying away from rugby clubs

A delayed start to contact fixtures doesn’t mean a delayed start for your club as a whole. We’d encourage adult and age grade players, coaches and volunteers alike to keep getting down to the club over the coming weeks. T1 Rugby and non-contact formats remain a great way to get members to your clubhouse and keep them active – subject to the usual pitch risk assessment – while also giving squads valuable time to properly prepare for the return to contact when the season begins.

Looking ahead: the Rugby Competition Landscape Review

This decision also feeds into a wider conversation the game needs to have. The RFU’s ongoing review of the Rugby Competition Landscape is examining, among other things, how a changing climate may affect the structure and length of the domestic season going forward. As dry spells and unpredictable weather become more frequent, we recognise the traditional season shape may need to evolve to protect player welfare, pitch quality and competition integrity in future years. We’ll share more on the findings and recommendations of this review in due course, with opportunities for clubs to feed in as it progresses.

We understand the decision to delay the start of the season will be disappointing, but hope it helps minimise disruption and impact on volunteers. We haven’t taken the decision lightly. Thank you for your patience and understanding, and for continuing to prioritise player safety and pitch care during this period.

Q+A

Who has made this decision and have community views been sought and considered?

RFU Governance and the Community Game Board have made this decision, based on input and feedback from the rugby community via the Adult Competitions Management Sub-Committee, Regional Organising Committees, as well as meteorological forecasts.

What if the drought conditions continue for longer?

We’ll continue to keep pitch conditions under review, as well as take meteorological advice. Player welfare will sit at the heart of any decision making and we will ensure that if we do need to take a decision to delay any further, we will communicate it in a similarly timely manner to this notice. We continue to encourage clubs to prepare players safely for the start of the season using non-contact rugby or our guidelines for training on pitches affected by drought.

When will the games take place instead?

Matches due to be played on the 12th or 19th September will instead by rearranged by Regional Organising Committees. It is expected that the November break remains in place. Unless we get further adverse conditions, the programme should be able to catch up by Xmas or early New Year.

What happens to the planned break or slip weekends now?

There are enough spare weekends in the season to rearrange the affected fixtures and manage this delay, whilst maintaining the break weekends already planned in

Can our club still arrange friendlies?

Teams can still arrange friendlies providing that they have carried out the appropriate risk assessment and carefully considered player safety. We hope that the two-week delay gives time for conditions to improve and therefore allow pre-season friendlies, that may currently have been forced to be postponed, to take place and ensure all players are ready for the start of competitive matches.

How are friendly matches that are full contact deemed any safer than competitive matches?

They aren’t, however as conditions hopefully improve or if access to an AGP is possible or if geographical differences are such that pitches become suitable, teams may wish to play friendlies to prepare their players for the start of the competitive season. Any teams planning a friendly must fully consider player safety in line with our guidance and complete a full risk assessment before undertaking any full contact activity.

We have access to an AGP, why can’t we still play?

We appreciate some teams may feel they could go ahead with matches on an AGP pitch they have access to. However, we have taken the decision to postpone all matches, irrespective of playing surface, to maintain competition integrity and the safety of matches on those surfaces given opposition teams may not have been able to adequately prepare for full contact. We encourage any clubs with access to an AGP to use it to prepare players and where possible share access with other local teams to assist with their pre-season preparation.

Not every area of the country is badly affected, why can’t some regions play?

Over 70% of England is now officially in a drought period, whilst the North East and Yorkshire have moved to prolonged dry weather – the stage before drought. No region is now deemed in ‘normal’ status. It is extremely unlikely that all the teams in a single league would all have their pre-season preparations unaffected by the weather, therefore in order to maintain competition integrity, the decision has been made to delay the season for the entirety of the country.

Why doesn’t this apply to the National League?

Given the commercial nature of these club businesses, access to irrigated pitches, and the 26-match programme – clubs playing in the National League will have the opportunity to play their matches if they meet the guidance provided by National League Rugby (NLR).

What happens if we end up in a position where teams can’t finish their season?

There are enough spare weekends in the season to rearrange the affected fixtures and manage this delay. We’ll keep conditions under review and revert to previous protocols taken during similar circumstances if they become necessary.

Does this mean the club season may have to go on longer?

No. There are enough spare weekends in the season to rearrange the affected fixtures and manage this delay. We’ll keep conditions under review and revert to previous protocols taken during similar circumstances if necessary to ensure the season length is not extended.

How do we ensure our pitches are ready for when the drought is over?

Unfortunately, there is no magic wand for this, and some disruption is inevitable. The RFU’s Managing Rugby Pitches in drought conditions guide suggests steps you may wish to take to help with pitch management.

Is there any further support on offer for our pitches?

If you’re seeking more support and guidance for your pitches, the RFU have a fantastic team of pitch advisors throughout the country, ready to provide community rugby clubs with free, bespoke advice. You can express your interest in a pitch advisor visit here.

Will the RFU recompense clubs who have lost out financially from this decision through either travel bookings or missed revenue?

The timing of this announcement should give clubs enough certainty and time to make the necessary cancellations and arrangements with regards to games scheduled to take place on the 12th or 19th September. We’d encourage clubs to continue providing risk-assessed or non-contact offerings during this period, as well as clubhouse-based activity where possible, so clubs continue to receive footfall.

What steps can we take to ensure player safety at training on a drought-affected pitch?

The focus should be on reducing/modifying impact exposure while still developing contact skills. Rather than simply carrying on with normal full-contact sessions increase the use of ACTIVATE spending more time on neck, shoulder, trunk and lower-limb preparation. Avoid practices that involve players regularly going to ground, only practice full tackling on crash mats and focus on body management, footwork, tracking and replace full contact with wrestling/grappling. Consider removing/reducing the number of diving to score and full tackle-to-ground practices, repeated tackles, falls, rucks or any instance where multiple bodies hit the ground and high numbers of contested lifted lineouts.