The 2026 season was the York Knightss first season playing in England's top division of rugby league, following their ascension to the league through the IMG Grading system. They competed in the 2026 Super League season and the 2026 Challenge Cup.
Preseason friendlies
Date and timeVersusH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceReport 17 January; 15:00 Huddersfield Giants A Kirklees Stadium 4–22 Jones-Bishop Richardson (0/1)
Super League
From 2026, the Super League expanded to 14 teams, with the York Knights being promoted alongside Toulouse Olympique from the RFL Championship via the Grading system. They joined the Bradford Bulls, who returned to the Super League for the first time since 2016 to replace the relegated Salford Red Devils.
A report by The i Paper revealed that chairman Clint Goodchild had asked the RFL governing body for a monthly £50,000 payment scheduled for June to be paid early to cover annual pitch renovations at the York Community Stadium, after money promised by the club's new investors after they applied to join the Super League did not materialise.
In August 2026, York announced that subject to approval by the RFL, they and the York Valkyrie had agreed a deal with a 'locally-based ownership group' headed by David Dickson to take majority shares in the club, with current chairman Clint Goodchild set to step down upon the deal's completion.
Fixtures York Knights' Super League 2026 fixtures were released on 27 November 2025:
Date and timeRoundVersusH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceTVPos.Report 12 February; 20:00 Round 1 Hull Kingston Rovers H York Community Stadium 19–18 Wood (2), Galeano Harris (3/3)Drop-goals: Hingano 8,500 Sky Sports + Main 7th 20 February; 20:00 Round 2 Leeds Rhinos A Headingley Rugby Stadium 14–46 Vaughan, Thompson, Galeano Harris (1/3) 15,232 Sky Sports + 11th 27 February; 20:00 Round 3 Hull F.C. A MKM Stadium 17–16 Nofoaluma (2), Jones-Bishop Richardson (2/3)Drop-goals: Richardson 12,716 Sky Sports + 7th 6 March; 20:00 Round 4 Warrington Wolves H York Community Stadium 30–38 Jones-Bishop, Balmforth, Mata'afa, Vaughan, Harris Richardson (5/5) 6,210 Sky Sports + 9th 19 March; 20:00 Round 5 Wigan Warriors A Brick Community Stadium 22–23 Nofoaluma, Vaughan, Hingano Richardson (3/3 + 2 pen.) 13,187 Sky Sports + 10th 27 March; 20:00 Round 6 Wakefield Trinity H York Community Stadium 14–26 Wood, Jones-Bishop, Williams Williams (1/3) 5,796 Sky Sports + 11th 4 April; 15:00 Round 7(Rivals Round) Huddersfield Giants A Kirklees Stadium 14–34 Roberts, Nofoaluma, Williams Roberts (1/3) 4,172 Sky Sports + 12th 17 April; 20:00 Round 8 Leigh Leopards H York Community Stadium 6–18 Va'a Harrison (1/1) 5,214 Sky Sports + 13th 23 April; 20:00 Round 9 Toulouse Olympique H York Community Stadium 38–14 Galeano (3), Vaughan (2), Buchanan Hunter (6/6 + 1 pen.) 4,014 Sky Sports + Main 10th 1 May; 20:00 Round 10 St Helens A BrewDog Stadium 16–40 Dee (2), Galeano Hunter (2/3) 10,342 Sky Sports + 10th 16 May; 15:00 Round 11 Castleford Tigers H York Community Stadium 18–24 Vuniyayawa, Wood, Galeano Hunter (3/3) 6,077 Sky Sports + 12th 23 May; 20:00 Round 12 Catalans Dragons H York Community Stadium 22–36 Balmforth (2), Roberts, Nofoaluma Hunter (3/5) 4,055 Sky Sports + 12th 5 June; 20:00 Round 13 Bradford Bulls A Odsal Stadium 20–30 Nofoaluma (3), Harris Hunter (2/4) 7,066 Sky Sports + 13th 12 June; 20:00 Round 14 Hull Kingston Rovers A Craven Park 6–38 Bennison Hunter (1/1) 11,408 Sky Sports + 13th 20 June; 15:00 Round 15 Wigan Warriors H York Community Stadium 20–72 Hunter (2), Harris, Galeano Hunter (2/4) 7,258 Sky Sports + 13th 26 June; 20:00 Round 16 Castleford Tigers A Wheldon Road 20–14 Hunter, Field, Nofoaluma, Galeano Hunter (2/4) 8,079 Sky Sports + 13th 4 July; 12:30 Round 17(Magic Weekend) Huddersfield Giants N Hill Dickinson Stadium 36–24 Bennison (2), Hunter (2), Nofoaluma, Williams, Balmforth Hunter (4/7) 34,539 Sky Sports + Main 12th 9 July; 20:00 Round 18 Hull F.C. H York Community Stadium 20–16 Nofoaluma, Bennison, Balmforth, Williams Hunter (0/1), Bennison (1/3 + 1 pen.) 5,359 Sky Sports + 10th 18 July; 20:00 (BST) Round 19 Toulouse Olympique A Stade Ernest Wallon 22–30 Field, Wood, Williams, Inman Bennison (3/4) 3,450 Sky Sports + 11th 25 July; 15:00 Round 20 Huddersfield Giants H York Community Stadium 22–24 Nofoaluma, Galeano, Thompson, Inman Bennison (3/4) 4,025 Sky Sports + 11th 1 August; 17:30 Round 21 St Helens H York Community Stadium 34–32 Field (2), Bennison, Balmforth, Vaughan, Williams Bennison (5/6) 6,136 Sky Sports + 10th 7 August; 20:00 Round 22 Leigh Leopards A Leigh Sports Village 14–22 Bennison (3) Bennison (1/3) 8,249 Sky Sports + 10th 13 August; 20:00 Round 23 Warrington Wolves A Halliwell Jones Stadium 10–30 McShane, Bennison Bennison (1/2) 9,015 Sky Sports + 11th 23 August; 15:00 Round 24 Leeds Rhinos H York Community Stadium 16–66 Wood, Bennison, Nofoaluma Bennison (2/3) 8,251 Sky Sports + 12th 29 August; 17:30 Round 25 Wakefield Trinity A Belle Vue 12–28 Jones-Bishop, Va'a Bennison (1/2 + 1 pen.) 7,982 BBC TwoSky Sports + 13th 5 September; 17:00 (BST) Round 26 Catalans Dragons A Stade Gilbert Brutus 28–16 Field, Nofoaluma, Harris, Galeano, Vaughan Hunter (4/5) 9,052 Sky Sports + 10th 10 September; 20:00 Round 27 Bradford Bulls H York Community Stadium 35–12 Galeano, Jones-Bishop, Mata'afa, Dee, Va'a, Nofoaluma Hunter (5/6)Drop-goals: Vaughan 5,136 Sky Sports + 10th
Table
Challenge Cup
The York Knights were first drawn on 12 January to play the Barrow Raiders, following Barrow's 76-4 defeat of Wigan St Judes in their Round 2 fixture on 24 January. Following their victory against Barrow, York beat the Keighley Cougars at home, qualifying them for the quarter-finals. The York Knights were ultimately knocked out of the 2026 Challenge Cup after being beaten 48-10 away by 2025 cup winners Hull Kingston Rovers.
Date and timeRoundVersusH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceTVReport 7 February; 18:00 Round 3 Barrow Raiders A Craven Park (Barrow) 32–6 Williams (2), Mata'afa, Martin, Dee, Field, Vaughan Harris (1/5), Williams (1/2) 1,389 Not televised 14 March; 12:00 Round 4 Keighley Cougars H York Community Stadium 56–10 Harris (2), Vuniyayawa, Wood, Balmforth, Dee, Griffin, Jones-Bishop, Hingano, Williams Harris (3/6), McShane (2/4), Williams (1/1) 2,008 Not televised 11 April; 13:30 Quarter-finals Hull Kingston Rovers A Craven Park (Hull) 10–48 Va'a, Harrison Harrison (1/2) 8,752 BBC Two
Transfers
Gains Player Club Contract Date Paul Vaughan Warrington Wolves 2 years July 2025 Josh Griffin Wakefield Trinity 1 year August 2025 Jordan Lipp Norths Devils 1 year August 2025 Sam Wood Castleford Tigers October 2025 Justin Sangaré Salford Red Devils October 2025 Jon Bennison St Helens October 2025 Jack Smith Leeds Rhinos 1 year October 2025 Danny Richardson Hull Kingston Rovers 2 years October 2025 Matty Foster Oldham R.L.F.C. 1 year October 2025 Ryan Jackson Central Queensland Capras November 2025 John Sagaga Penrith Panthers November 2025 Leo Tennison Hull Kingston Rovers 1 year November 2025 Will Roberts St Helens January 2026 Nikau Williams N/A January 2026 Xavier Va'a Sydney Roosters 2 years January 2026 Tom Inman Halifax Panthers End of season February 2026 Thomas Doyle Wakefield Trinity 2 years August 2026
Loans in Player Club Loan period Date Denive Balmforth Hull F.C. End of season November 2025 King Vuniyayawa Newcastle Thunder Rolling monthly February 2026 David Nofoaluma Newcastle Thunder End of season February 2026 Myles Harrison Newcastle Thunder February 2026 Matty English Huddersfield Giants End of season July 2026 Andy Djeukessi Newcastle Thunder 1 week July 2026
Losses Player Club Contract Date Connor Bailey Hull F.C. 2 years September 2025 James Farrar TBC October 2025 Jacob Gannon TBC October 2025 Jack Potter TBC October 2025 Joe Brown Sheffield Eagles 2 years October 2025 Connor Fitzsimmons Sheffield Eagles 2 years October 2025 Bailey Antrobus Newcastle Thunder 1 year December 2025 Sam Cook Newcastle Thunder 1 year December 2025 Joe Law Newcastle Thunder December 2025 Jude Ferreira Newcastle Thunder December 2025 Brad Ward Newcastle Thunder January 2026 Harvey Reynolds Newcastle Thunder January 2026 Myles Harrison Newcastle Thunder January 2026 Brenden Santi Newcastle Thunder January 2026 Ukuma Ta'ai Newcastle Thunder January 2026 Jack Brown Newcastle Thunder January 2026 Josh Griffin N/A Retirement June 2026
Loans out Player Club Loan period Date Danny Richardson Widnes Vikings End of season June 2026
Squad
Notes
References