Current season, competition or edition: 2024 Super League season | |
 | |
| Sport | Rugby league |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1996 |
| No. of teams | 12 |
| Country |  England France |
| Most recent champion(s) |  Wigan Warriors (7th title) |
| Most titles |  St Helens (10 titles) |
| TV partner(s) | |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Domestic cup(s) | Challenge Cup |
| International cup(s) | World Club Challenge |
| Official website | www |
The Super League (also known as the Betfred Super League due to sponsorship from Betfred, and legally known as Super League Europe Ltd.)[1][2] is the top-level of the British rugby league system. At present the league consists of twelve teams, of which eleven are from Northern England, reflecting the sport's geographic heartland within the UK and one from southern France.
The Super League began in 1996, replacing the existing First Division and, significantly, switching from a traditional winter season to a summer season.
The regular season typically runs from February to September with each team playing 27 games; 11 home games, 11 away games, Magic Weekend and an additional 4 'loop fixtures' decided by league positions. The top six then enter the play-off series leading to the Grand Final which determines the champions. As of 2024 there is no relegation to the Championship.
The Super League champions take on the champions of the Australian National Rugby League in the World Club Challenge.
Twenty-four clubs have competed since the inception of the Super League since 1996: nineteen from England, three from France, one from Wales and one from Canada. Four of them have won the title: St Helens (10), Leeds Rhinos (8), Wigan Warriors (7) and Bradford Bulls (4).
- ^ "Rugby League's Super League Europe Appoints New Director" (Press release). Leeds: Super League Europe. Sportcal. 16 February 2001. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
- ^ "'Why do they call it Super League Europe'? French club coach fuming after promotion snub". stuff.co.nz. Stuff Limited. 15 December 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2021.