Salford Red Devils liquidated over an unpaid tax bill

The 152-year-old Salford Red Devils rugby league club has been formally wound up at a specialist companies court, its existence ending after a one-minute hearing over an unpaid tax bill owed to His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.

This follows a turbulent Super League campaign last season, which saw Salford relegated amidst repeated late wage payments and a mass player exodus, leading to a failed fixture.

Relegated to the Championship, they had been set to kick off the 2026 season against local rivals Oldham on 16 January.

However, supporters and businesses are keen to immediately resurrect the Red Devils as a ‘phoenix club’, potentially fulfilling the old club’s fixtures.

The case, initially brought in June, was adjourned several times for debt payment, with the club unrepresented in court.

An RFL spokesperson said: “Following today’s court decision, Salford Red Devils’ membership of the RFL has been terminated with immediate effect.

“The RFL board will meet tomorrow, following which, detail on the process to new club ownership will be advised.”

In a statement, the club said: "We understand the gravity of this situation and the uncertainty this creates for everyone connected with the club.

"For the original club staff that remained up until this point, this is an incredibly emotional moment. Whilst there is sadness in seeing things come to this point, there is also a sense of relief that an extremely challenging period for the club has finally come to an end.

"We want to express our heartfelt thanks to all the fans who have stood by us through everything. Your passion and loyalty have meant the world to us. More than anything, we hope that the club's proud name and history can live on and continue to represent the people of Salford."

Salford have been beset by financial problems all season, operating under strict salary cap restrictions after failing to pay players and staff on time, and seeing several star players leave throughout a campaign in which they finished bottom of the Betfred Super League standings.

In October, it was confirmed they had lost their place in next season’s expanded top flight, provisionally relegated to the Championship for the 2026 campaign, and head coach Paul Rowley left to join St Helens.

Their troubled season came after a consortium led by Swiss businessman Dario Berta completed a takeover in February this year.