The Welsh Rugby Union will reduce its number of URC teams from four to three.
According to WalesOnline, players were informed of the proposal on Friday.
The WRU’s long-term vision is to have three professional sides – one in the west, one in the east and one in Cardiff.
The current four teams – the Scarlets, Ospreys, Dragons and Cardiff – will continue to operate until the end of the 2027-28 season under a tiered funding model.
After that, the Ospreys and Scarlets are expected to be most at risk as the WRU moves to streamline its professional structure.
The decision comes after weeks of intense consultation. The union’s executive team, led by director of rugby Dave Reddin, initially pushed for a cut to just two professional teams. That plan sparked strong opposition from clubs, players and supporters, leading to a revised proposal.
According to WalesOnline, an earlier plan to replace a Welsh club with a US team was blocked by South Africa’s URC franchises.
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