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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Exclusive by Matt Hughes

Birmingham City’s owners explore moving into rugby union and buying Prem franchise

A Prem rugby ball leaning against the bottom of a post
A shake-up of rugby union’s top flight, the Prem, is set to be ratified on Friday, with relegation being scrapped. Photograph: Andrew Fosker/Shutterstock

Birmingham City’s owner, Knighthead Capital Management, is among a number of American investors exploring the purchase of potential new franchises in Prem Rugby before a radical shake-up of the sport due to be ratified by the Rugby Football Union on Friday.

The RFU council will vote at Twickenham on proposals to ringfence the 10-team Prem with no promotion or relegation until 2030, when a staged expansion is planned, beginning with the addition of two more teams.

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