Super League clubs will be allowed three marquee signings – one of which must have been produced within the European system – under new salary cap regulations for the 2024 season.
It is an upgrade on the two players allotted currently, while the total spend allowed remains at £2.1m.
Club-trained players will count at £50,000 on the cap, while federation-trained players count at £100,000.
Other marquee players will count as £150,000 on the overall cap.
Such an example would be an international import from the National Rugby League, who has not come through any youth system.
Clubs can use the player welfare allowance up to £50,000 from next season, while the member clubs across the three divisions – including Championship and League One – will consider the terms of a financial sustainability cap, to come in during 2025.
Robert Hicks, the director of operations and legal at RL Commercial, said: “We must also recognise the need for Super League to remain an elite and attractive competition, nationally and internationally.
“That is challenging, as while we welcome the growing strength of the NRL – and the NRLW – as good news for the sport of rugby league, it can only increase the lure of a move to the southern hemisphere for our leading players.
“We therefore agreed with IMG, our strategic partners, that we should amend the cap regulations to allow clubs to spend more on keeping our outstanding homegrown players in the Super League competition – and also to increase the salary cap rewards for those clubs who develop those players.”
A new top flight will be created from 2025, with clubs in the top three tiers of British rugby league voting in favour of IMG’s proposed club grading – part of the media giant’s partnership with RL Commercial, under the banner of ‘Reimagining Rugby League’.
