More rugby looks set to disappear from the BBC, with the broadcaster reportedly poised to lose the majority of its rugby league coverage from 2027.
The BBC’s current Super League agreement expires at the end of 2026, with reports suggesting Sky Sports and DAZN could share the next package of rights.
The BBC has shown around 10 live Super League matches per season since becoming the competition’s free-to-air partner in 2023.
However, reports now suggest that relationship could end when the current agreement expires.
There is also uncertainty surrounding the Challenge Cup, another competition with a long-standing relationship with the broadcaster.
The BBC held rights to show the competition, including the final, between 2024 and 2026, but its involvement beyond that has yet to be confirmed.
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More sport disappearing from the BBC
The potential departure comes amid a wider reduction in the BBC's traditional sports coverage.
Rugby union fans have already noticed a significant change following the introduction of the new Six Nations broadcasting agreement.
From 2026, ITV shows every England men's Six Nations match, with the BBC retaining a smaller package of fixtures involving Scotland and Wales.
Elsewhere, the BBC has either dropped coverage or ended several familiar sports programmes as it looks to make significant savings and put greater emphasis on digital content.
Other notable departures include:
- Commonwealth Games – dropped by the BBC.
- The Boat Race – no longer part of its traditional sporting schedule.
- Rugby League World Cup – Premier Sports holds the rights for the 2026 tournament.
- Ski Sunday – ending after almost 50 years.
- World Indoor Bowls Championships – dropped from the BBC schedule.
- Football Focus – ended after 52 years.
- England men's Six Nations matches – now all live on ITV.
The BBC confirmed the end of Ski Sunday in September, citing changing audience behaviour and the difficult financial decisions required to meet its savings targets.
Meanwhile, The Guardian reports that wider BBC Sport cuts are expected to result in dozens of jobs disappearing as the broadcaster increasingly focuses resources on its website, app, YouTube and social media output.
Should Super League now follow, another familiar part of the BBC's sporting schedule will have disappeared.
