Home	Away	Kickoff
Chicago Hounds	California Legion	June 21 @ 8:00 PM ET (match center)

Pregame coverage starts at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN2

It's the final week of the regular season! Seattle and California are each vying for 2nd, while defending champion Free Jacks are in a struggle to hold onto their 4th place spot with Old Glory DC and Anthem RC nipping at their heels. If New England loses to Chicago, which seems quite likely at this point, then either DC or Anthem can take the spot. Anthem would need a bonus point win to leapfrog a losing Free Jacks squad. Without the bonus point then Old Glory could still secure the playoff spot with just a single bonus point (either losing by less than 7 or with a try bonus point).

Only two matches this week, with Anthem RC and California Legion taking the first bi week of the season.

Pretty crazy seeing the 3-time defending champion Free Jacks shut down so handily in week 2.

How to watch

#MLR2026 #USMLR #rugby

While it's the second week of the season, it's the first full week with all six teams playing!

The MLR 2026 season kicks off this weekend with the California Legion hosting Anthem RC tomorrow (March 28th) at 6 PM Eastern. Both teams have had significant turnover since 2025, as have the rest of the league, so it'll be interesting to see which teams find cohesion faster.

Pre-Season Summary	Roster

Thanks to NARDB for the graphics.

If you haven't checked it out before, hop on over to MLR Stats Guy's web site, https://narugbydb.com/, for all kinds of MLR info. He tracks player movement within the league and just posted a series of graphics showing which of the remaining 6 teams have taken up players from the 4 teams we lost outright.

The RRS will replace the television match official (TMO) with an In Stadium Replay Operator (ISRO), which will enhance real-time decision-making and ensure consistency across matches. The on-field referee team, headed by the center referee, will remain the primary authority for match control, and RRS will support and enable the on-field team to make better, more accurate decisions. This change will speed up the game, ensuring fans spend less time waiting for reviews and more time enjoying the match – whether they are watching it in person or on a broadcast.

Major League Rugby, the premier professional rugby league in North America, announced today it has named Chicago for 2026 MLR Championship. Bridgeview’s SeatGeek Stadium on Sunday, June 21 at 8 p.m. (EST) / 7 p.m. (CST).

“Chicago has consistently proven itself as a premier host for historic rugby events — from the 2023 MLR Championship to massive recent international matches — while also boasting a rich and proud grassroots and club rugby tradition,” said Alex Magleby, Co-President of Major League Rugby. “SeatGeek Stadium offers arguably the best playing surface in our league, making it the perfect stage for a championship moment.

“With multiple fields surrounding the stadium for additional rugby activations in the lead up, this will be a true tent-pole weekend for North American rugby, and we look forward to announcing a series of exciting events in the coming weeks — all culminating in a Father’s Day MLR Final on Sunday evening. It promises to be electric — an opportunity to bring together MLR supporters and rugby fans, new and lifelong alike, for a remarkable celebration of our sport.”

Major League Rugby (MLR) and the United States Rugby Players Association (USRPA) have signed a landmark agreement ratifying the first-ever collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in American rugby history. Crafted after extensive negotiations between the two sides, the CBA brings stability to professional rugby in the U.S. and opens new doors for the sport in advance of the 2031 Rugby World Cup coming to North America.

“Refereeing is one of the toughest roles in rugby, requiring skill, focus, and resilience at every moment,” said David Wilkinson, Director of Match Officials at MLR. “That’s why it’s such a fantastic achievement to see Luke, Robin, and Mike — the first trio of MLR officials — appointed to the U20s Six Nations.

“This is a huge milestone, not just for them as individuals, but for the MLR pathway. It shows how our league is developing world-class refereeing talent and creating opportunities to shine on the international stage. A proud moment for MLR and a real inspiration for aspiring referees.”

A longtime MLR official, Rogan is one of just two referees to receive multiple appointments during the tournament. He has officiated 72 MLR matches, the second-most in league history. Kaluzniak has made 28 MLR appearances, while Lawrenson featured four times as an MLR official last season.

Their appointments continue a strong trend for MLR referees on the global stage. Last season, Lex Weiner officiated the third-place match at the World Rugby U20 Championship, the highest level ever reached by an American male official in the 15s game. Additionally, six MLR officials earned World Rugby summer match appointments, with three more selected for winter and spring international competitions.

Congratulations to Luke Rogan, Robin Kaluzniak, and Mike Lawrenson as they head to Europe and continue pushing the boundaries for American rugby refereeing.

Each team will play 10 regular-season games, hosting and traveling to every opponent once. After the regular season, the top four teams will earn a spot in the 2026 MLR Playoffs.

Anthem Rugby Carolina, California Legion, Chicago Hounds, New England Free Jacks, Old Glory DC, and Seattle Seawolves will compete in the 2026 season, which will kick off in April. Five of the teams earned a berth in last year’s playoffs, setting the stage for another thrilling race to earn a playoff bid and dethrone the three-time defending champion Free Jacks.

In the playoffs, the No. 1 seed will host the No. 4 seed, and the No. 2 seed will host the No. 3 seed in the Semifinal Round. Winners from each Semifinal will meet in the 2026 MLR Championship, with details and location to be announced at a later date.

Fans will be able to catch all of the action live on and on-demand via ESPN+

More information about the 2026 season, including a complete schedule release, will be announced in the coming weeks.

Teams	Season	Finals

THANK YOU WARRIORS NATION. Up until just days ago, the Utah Warriors were committed and on track to participate in the 2026 Major League Rugby season. Unfortunately, things changed quickly in the past week.

As of this morning, we have informed Major League Rugby that we will not participate in 2026 and are suspending club operations.

It's a bad time for MLR. Four of the five remaining original teams have closed shop in a single off-season (California Legion is basically RFCLA subsuming San Diego and keeping the more established Legion branding). Seattle, the only one of the original 7 to win a title are now the last ones standing.

This off-season has been a time of reflection and tough choices for Major League Rugby. Running a professional league is complex, and while the departure of teams was not something we anticipated, it has provided an opportunity to reset and strengthen our foundation.

Today, we’re confirming Major League Rugby will be played in 2026 and beyond.

The owners of Major League Rugby have an aligned vision on supporting USA Rugby and, in particular, our USA Eagles. Our partnership with World Rugby - Anthem Rugby Carolina - aims to develop young American talent and prepare the USA Eagles, with a focus on the 2027 and 2031 Men's Rugby World Cups. To further aid this goal, Major League Rugby will take steps from the 2026 season to increase the game day spaces available to USA Rugby qualified and pathway players to a minimum of 16 and rising from there.

We are engaged in active discussions with new partners, ownership groups, and USRPA to build long-term alignment and stability that will serve the league well into the future.

Major League Rugby is fueled by the love of the game - driven by the players who give everything on the field, the dedication of our team's staff, and the passion of our fans. We look forward during the coming weeks and months to sharing more details on what you can look forward to in 2026, and we thank you for your patience.

The Houston SaberCats are out of Major League Rugby (MLR). After eight seasons of MLR, the Houston Sabercats have pulled-out of competing in MLR 2026. The official Page of Houston’s professional rugby team released the following statement:

The decision from the Houston Saber Cats means Major League Rugby is officially down four teams for the MLR 2026 season. Tumultuous recent months have brought changes with the Houston SaberCats joining Miami Sharks and NOLA Gold in being out of MLR 2026. In addition, the teams based in Los Angeles and San Diego will be merging to create a new franchise.

The Houston SaberCats were the Western Conference Champions of MLR 2025. In doing so, the Texans made history by reaching their first Western Conference title and made their first-ever appearance in a MLR Championship. Houston fell 28-22 to the New England Free Jacks in the 2025 Final.

The first round of the draft was broadcast on ESPNU, with the final two rounds announced on the league’s social media channels. The 2025 College Draft order was determined by regular season standings and playoff performance, and each round consisted of eight to nine picks.

MLR uses a “Draft and Follow” approach where rights to drafted players will be assigned following the draft. Teams may activate those rights at any point until the mid-point of the next competitive MLR season after the player is eligible to play in the MLR. Drafting teams may sign those players or trade player rights with other MLR teams.

Twenty six prospects drafted over three rounds.