Council to help secure future of rugby league in Featherstone
Monday, October 12, 2026
Wakefield Council's Cabinet is set to agree £500,000 funding to help secure the long-term future of professional rugby league in Featherstone.
At a meeting next week, the Council’s key decision makers are being asked to approve the funding to the Rugby Football League (RFL) from the Rugby League Resilience Fund. It will support the purchase of Post Office Road and associated assets through the RFL Facilities Trust.
"Rugby league has played an important role in the sporting and community life of the town for generations.
"These proposals are about protecting rugby league heritage in Featherstone and protecting facilities that are valued by local people.
"The use of funding from the Rugby League Resilience Fund will help to establish a sustainable professional future for the game in the town.”
Cllr Lukasz Borcz
Cabinet Member for Leisure and Sport
The Rugby League Resilience Fund supports the sustainability of professional rugby league clubs and protects important sporting infrastructure across the district.
The proposals form part of wider efforts to protect the important community asset following the club entering administration in 2025.
If approved, the funding would support plans by the RFL to purchase Post Office Road and lease it to a new club operator. Helping to create a sustainable successor club capable of returning to competition from 2027.
The RFL said: “We are grateful to Wakefield Council for enabling the release of Resilience Funding to support the future of Rugby League in Featherstone.
“We have worked closely over the last nine months, and we are mindful that we will be in receipt of public money to support this.
“Therefore, more than ever, we must ensure we ourselves believe there is a viable sustainable future. We remain hopeful we can find a solution to bring Featherstone Rovers RLFC back to the town.”
The Council's contribution would be matched funded by the RFL. With discussions also taking place regarding potential additional support from national funding bodies.
Any funding will only be released once the RFL has demonstrated that a sustainable operating entity has been identified and has met all relevant requirements.
If approved, a grant funding agreement would be created which would include measures to protect the public investment.
As part of the recommendations, Cabinet is also being asked to agree to explore the future inclusion of adjacent Council-owned sports pitches for possible community use.
The Council’s Cabinet will consider the report at its meeting on 20 October. The meeting can be watched live or later at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLilikhJ0zt3272-X321ObPci8srBgmT2e