Last year the RFU’s Tier 2 Board ran an open tender process to the whole game for any club, college or university to join the Championship – the level below the Premiership – for the 2025-26 season if they could meet the league’s minimum operating standards and growth strategy.
Worcester were admitted on a majority decision, but the Tier 2 Board said Wasps and London Irish were not in a position at the end of last year to meet the minimum criteria.
Approval means Worcester will be admitted alongside the winners of the National League 1 division, currently being led by Richmond.
Richmond were the first professional club in England after the game went open in 1995 but when they went bust in 1999, they were relegated to the bottom of the league pyramid and have worked their way up since.
Warriors owner Holland said: “Had we opted to restart at the bottom of the rugby pyramid, as others have before us, the obligation to settle rugby creditors would have been removed.
“After careful consideration we chose to make the application to the new league under the name Worcester Warriors, a club founded in 1871, to preserve its history and legacy.
“As a result, even though we applied as a new non-league entrant, we are required to settle rugby creditors as defined by the RFU Regulation 5. We acknowledge and fully own this process and the responsibility that comes with it.
“We have taken full responsibility for addressing these inherited obligations.”
Businessman Holland also owns the intellectual property for Wasps where he was a non-executive director. Should they return to the league structure he would have to relinquish ownership of one club.
It is understood the Warriors, who plan to have a new logo and resurfaced artificial pitch, have been putting people and processes in place in order to be ready for the start of next season in the Championship.
Thursday’s announcement comes one week after RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney survived a vote of no confidence at a special general meeting.
The meeting was called in part by vociferous Championship clubs who have been unhappy at funding cuts from the game’s organising body in England.
In a statement, Simon Gillham, Tier 2 Board chairman, said there was “still a great deal still to achieve”.
He added: “The vision for this league is really ambitious and so much work and collaboration has taken place over nearly two years to establish a path towards a vibrant and self-sustaining competition.
“Today marks a significant step forward with Worcester Warriors returning to professional rugby under new ownership in a heartland for our sport, with the club’s new owners having provided a financial security guarantee, held by the RFU, as well as committing to paying off debts left by the previous owners to rugby creditors.”
Plans for the Championship’s full competition structure are still to be announced.
With no relegation from the Championship into National League 1 this season, it means only two teams, instead of the usual three, will be relegated from National 1.
