JRLO 2026-2027 Season Will Kick-Off On December 12

The JRLO 2026-2027 season will kick off on December 12, and the final will be played on Sunday, June 6, 2027, the league has confirmed.

There have already been dozens of player signings and departures announced since the end of the previous season, which was won by Kobelco Kobe Steelers, and also saw teams relegated and promoted between Division 2 and 3.

In the 2025-2026 season, it was confirmed that a total of 223 matches were played across the three divisions, and a record-breaking total attendance of 1,322,343 people attended JRLO matches.

We will be publishing a full guide on all of the player and coach signings in the coming months.

Some of the notable changes announced by the JRLO on July 1st 2026:

• The Division 1 conference system will be revised, and the regular season will be conducted without conference divisions. Each team in the D1 regular season will play 18 games, the same as in the 2025-26 season
• There is 1 new team in D3 – AZ-COM Maruwa MOMOTARO (new team name, emblem, and logo TBC in August 2026)
• Two teams change names effective today (July 1st): Tochigi Honda Heat (formerly Mie Honda Heat) and JR East Green Warriors Tokatsu (formerly NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu).

Division 1 Teams JRLO 2026-2027

There were no changes to the 12 teams set to compete in the top flight next season:

• Kobelco Kobe Steelers (champions)
• Kubota Spears Funabashi/Tokyo Bay
• Saitama Wild Knights
• Tokyo Sungoliath
• Black Rams Tokyo
• Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo
• Shizuoka Blue Revs
• Tochigi Honda Heat (changed from Mie Honda Heat)
• Toyota Verblitz
• Urayasu D-Rocks
• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars

“Mie Honda Heat” changes to “Tochigi Honda Heat”

Starting from the 2026-27 Season, the club has changed their name and logo as well as the mascot (which is a popular feature of the JRLO clubs).

The reason for this is the change of operations to Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture in September 2026. Kohei Ohashi, General Manager of Tochigi Honda Heat, said, “Starting with the 2026-27 season, we will be making a fresh start as ‘Tochigi Honda Heat.’ With gratitude to everyone who supported us in Mie and Suzuka, we aim for further growth and progress in Tochigi, and will continue to challenge ourselves as a team to reach the playoffs and become the best in Japan.”

Division 2 Teams JRLO 2026-2027

Two teams were promoted to Division 2 from D3 last season: D2 champions Skyactivs Hiroshima and runners-up Sayama SECOM Rugguts, who both came out on top in their two-leg promotion matches.

Green Rockets Tokatsu Changes to JR East Green Warriors Tokatsu

The Green Rockets Tokatsu have also changed ownership and will be called JR East Green Warriors Tokatsu. The club said, “We are pleased to announce that the team name and emblem have been decided for the new structure of the team, which will begin operations under a new system from the 2026-27 season.

• Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi
• Shimizu Construction Koto Blue Sharks
• Hanazono Kintetsu Liners
• Green Rockets Tokatsu (changes to JR East Green Warriors Tokatsu)
• Kyushu Electric Power Kyuden Voltex
• Red Hurricanes Osaka
• Skyactivs Hiroshima (promoted from D3)
• Sayama SECOM Rugguts (promoted from D3)

Division 3 Teams JRLO 2026-2027

Two teams were relegated from D2 to Division 3, and a new team enters the JRLO.

Both Nippon Steel Kamaishi Seawaves and Hino Red Dolphins were relegated from D2 after losing theor two-leg promotion-relegation matches.

JRLO Division 3 expands to 7 Teams

On 17th March, 2026, the Japan Rugby League One announced that AZ-COM Maruwa MOMOTARO’S will join the JRLO Division 3 from the 2026-27 season. The club is part of AZ-COM Maruwa Transportation and Logistics company, and the rugby club was established in 2014.

• Kurita Water Gush Akishima
• LeRiro Fukuoka
• Chugoku Electric Power Red Legions
• Yakult Levins Toda
• Nippon Steel Kamaishi Seawaves (Relegated from D2)
• Hino Red Dolphins (Relegated from D2)
• AZ-COM Maruwa MOMOTARO (new team name, emblem, and logo TBC in August 2026)

JRLO News 2026

• JRLO Global Footprint Shows In National Team Selections.
• Kobelco Kobe Steelers Win First Japan Rugby League One Title.
• Lukhanyo Am – I Would Encourage Players To Come and Play in the Japan Rugby League One.
• Kobelco Kobe Steelers Head Coach Dave Rennie Lands All Blacks Head Coach Job.