Fixtures have now been confirmed for the 2026 Reserves, Academy and Scholarship competitions.
Leeds Rhinos and Warrington Wolves dominated the Reserves and Academy competitions in 2025 with the Rhinos winning the Reserves Grand Final 8-0, and Warrington beating the Rhinos 32-18 in the Academy.
All 8 points in the Reserves Final came in the first half, but it was the defensive efforts from the Rhinos in the second that ensured they clinched victory at AMT Headingley.
In the Academy Final, the Warrington Wolves continued the strength of their unbeaten season in front of a home crowd to walk away champions.
Both competitions are made up of 11 Super League clubs, whilst the reserves competition also includes London Broncos from the Betfred Championship. The reserves kicked off their season last weekend on Saturday 14 February where Hull FC clinched their first win of the season in a 44-22 victory against London Broncos. Their season consists of 11 rounds whilst the ten round Academy competition begins in three weeks on Saturday 7 March.
The scholarship training program also returns for 2026 as teams continue to offer opportunities for the development of local young talent. The scheme involves a structured pathway that allows players to progress to elite academy and is a significant step towards nurturing the next generation of professional rugby league players. The scholarship season gets underway on Wednesday 25 March with the full opening round fixtures detailed below.
The opening round fixtures are listed below:
Reserves
Saturday 14 February
Hull FC v London Broncos – 44-22
Saturday 21 February
Huddersfield Giants v Bradford Bulls (KO 11am),
Hull KR v Warrington Wolves (KO 1pm)
Leeds Rhinos v Wakefield Trinity (KO 1pm)
St Helens v Leigh Leopards (KO 5pm)
Sunday 22 February
Wigan Warriors v Hull FC (KO 12:00pm)
Academy
Saturday 7 March
Warrington Wolves v Bradford Bulls (KO 11:30am)
Wakefield Trinity v Hull FC (KO 12:00pm)
Hull KR v Castleford Tigers (KO 1pm)
Leigh Leopards v Leeds Rhinos (KO 2pm)
St Helens v Huddersfield Giants (KO 2:45pm)
Scholarship
Wednesday 25 March
Bradford Bulls v Hull KR (KO 7pm)
Leigh Leopards v Wakefield Trinity (KO 7pm)
Wigan Warriors v St Helens (KO 7pm)
Huddersfield Giants v Castleford Tigers (KO 7pm)
Hull FC v Leeds Rhinos (KO 7:30pm)
The full fixture lists for the Reserves, Academy and Scholarship competitions can be found in the Rugby League Match Centre here.
Photo Credit: Leeds Rhinos
