Super League Europe
| Super League | |
|---|---|
Current season or competition:: Super League XXII
|
|
 |
|
| Sport | Rugby league |
| Inaugural season | 1996 |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Countries |
 England (11 teams) France (1 team) |
| Champions |
 Wigan Warriors (4th title) (2016)
|
| Most titles |
 Leeds Rhinos (7 titles)
|
| Website | rugby-league.com/superleague |
| Broadcast partner |
Sky Sports (live matches) BBC (highlights only) |
| Related competitions |
Domestic Cup: Challenge Cup International Cup(s): World Club Series World Club Challenge |
| Relegation to | Championship |
Super League (known officially as the Betfred Super League due to sponsorship by Betfred) is the top-level professional rugby league club competition in the Northern hemisphere. The league has twelve teams: eleven from England and one from France. Canadian and Welsh clubs that also compete in the Rugby Football League can also qualify. Commonally known in the UK as the Super League it is referred to internationally as the European Super League (ESL). The current champions are Wigan Warriors.
Super League began in 1996, replacing the RFL Championship and switching from a winter to a summer season. Each team plays 23 games between February and July: 11 home games, 11 away games and a Magic Weekend game at a neutral venue. After 23 games, teams enter a Super 8 stage, the top eight play each other once more. The top four then enter the play-off series leading to the Grand Final (formerly Championship Final) which determines the champions. The bottom four teams go on to play the top four Championship teams in The Qualifiers to determine who will play in Super League the following season.
Leeds Rhinos are the most successful club in the Super League era, having won 7 titles. However, Wigan Warriors are the most successful club overall, having won 21 British Championships.
The Super League champions play the National Rugby League champions from Australasia in the World Club Challenge at the start of the season.
A "super league" competition was first mooted during the Australian Super League war as a way for Rupert Murdoch to gain the upper hand during the battle for broadcasting supremacy with the Australian Rugby League. Murdoch also approached the British clubs to form Super League. A large sum of money aided the decision, and the competition got under way in 1996. Part of the deal saw rugby league switch from a winter to a summer season. The 12 founding teams of Super League were:
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