London Broncos have been told there is a route into Super League for them in 2027 even if a partnership with the NRL is not complete until 2028 – but on the condition they enter with ZERO central distribution.

A partnership between the two competitions looks finally set to be signed off in the coming days following a week of meetings that have been described as productive by sources close to those in attendance.

However, after Super League missed Peter V’landys’ deadline of last Thursday to agree a deal, it has now become generally accepted across the board that 2028 looks like the ideal landing spot for a start date.

But some aspects of the partnership are going to start in advance, including a TV deal with DAZN that the NRL will help broker – and now, it seems, the possible inclusion of London.

London Super League door left ajar

There have been more meetings on Friday; some in Australia featuring RL Commercial MD Rhodri Jones and the owners of the Broncos – as well as club CEO meetings on this side of the world in the United Kingdom.

The general feeling now is that a deal for 2028 is going to be signed off within days. With 2028 being a start date for the partnership, it was anticipated London would have to wait another year to return to Super League: but that might not be the case.

Sources have indicated to Love Rugby League there is an openness to bringing the Broncos in for next year, with the general feeling that the NRL would insist on a 2028 inclusion no matter what.

But clubs and the sport’s administrators have told London such a move is likely only to happen if the Broncos completely sacrifice their right to any central distribution.

Clubs received around £1.3million this year, though it remains unclear what that figure will look like for 2027 without the NRL deal happening. There was an expectation that with the NRL’s investment, distribution would rise to £1.9million – which now seems inevitable for 2028 when the NRL officially buy into a partnership.

London’s distribution situation

In reality, the difference between zero funding in Super League and what London were due to get in the Championship in 2027 is not enormous. The Broncos were slated to receive around £150,000 in distribution were they in the second tier next year – and London believe they have huge commercial deals ready to be rolled out which could dwarf that figure if they are in Super League.

There have been suggestions London would continue to take a reduced figure in 2028, but that has not been confirmed. However, what is clear is that Super League clubs are now willing to allow the Broncos entry as what effectively will be an early pre-agreement condition with the NRL.

But they must agree, like York and Toulouse a year earlier, that they will do so with one hand tied behind their back from a financial sense.

The Knights and Toulouse both originally agreed they would come into Super League with around £650,000 funding, half of the other 12 teams, this time last year. York’s previous owner, Clint Goodchild, had revealed he had initially budgeted for zero funding.

And it appears that is now a situation London must weigh up.