Houston SaberCats Withdraw From Major League Rugby Ahead Of 2026 Season
Houston SaberCats Withdraw From Major League Rugby Ahead Of 2026 Season
Houston SaberCats withdraw from Major League Rugby’s 2026 season, leaving the league without a Texas team just months after reaching the championship final.
The Houston SaberCats, one of Major League Rugby’s longest-standing franchises and a 2025 championship finalist, announced Thursday they will not compete in the 2026 season.
The club released a statement on its website confirming the withdrawal but offered no explanation for the decision. Season ticket holders were told they would be refunded.
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“Thank you for supporting the SaberCats over the past eight seasons,” the statement read. “We have shared some incredible experiences together, from our patchy start in the early years at a minor-league baseball stadium to the successful squad of the last four years, playing at the best rugby facility in the country. We can be proud of this journey and celebrate many of the experiences we shared together.
“It is with much sadness that we announce we will not be participating in MLR’s 2026 season. To our passionate fans and valued sponsors — thank you for your support, for the time and energy you invested in the SaberCats.”
Founded in 2017, Houston was a founding member of MLR, debuting in 2018. The team initially played at Dyer Stadium and Constellation Field before moving into its own 4,000-seat SaberCats Stadium in 2019, widely regarded as one of the premier rugby facilities in the United States.
The SaberCats endured early struggles but found their footing in recent years under coach Heyneke Meyer, posting their first winning season in 2022. They reached the playoffs in four straight campaigns, culminating in a runner-up finish in 2025 when they fell 28-22 to the New England Free Jacks in the MLR final on June 28.
Houston’s departure is the latest setback for the still-young professional league. Major League Rugby fielded 11 teams last season but has since lost multiple franchises. In July, NOLA Gold withdrew, while San Diego Legion and RFC Los Angeles announced they would merge to form the California Legion. Last month, the Miami Sharks confirmed they would not participate in 2026.
The SaberCats’ exit effectively removes four teams from the league’s roster in the space of a few months, leaving New England, Utah, California, Old Glory DC, Seattle Seawolves, Chicago Hounds and Charlotte-based Anthem RC as the remaining sides.
It marks another contraction for a competition that has faced consistent instability since its launch. The Toronto Arrows folded in November 2023 following the death of principal owner Bill Webb, while NOLA, Miami and now Houston have all withdrawn in less than a year.
For Texas, once viewed as a cornerstone market for American rugby, the loss of the SaberCats is significant. The franchise had invested in infrastructure and player development, most recently signing dual-international winger Rufus McLean, who switched allegiance from Scotland to the U.S.
Despite the growth of rugby union at the grassroots and collegiate levels, the exit of a high-profile finalist underscores the uncertainty surrounding MLR’s long-term sustainability.
The league, which launched with ambitions of building a North American professional presence to rival established rugby competitions abroad, now enters 2026 with just seven U.S. franchises and no Canadian representation.
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