Grant Wechsel, who recently became co-Owner of the London Broncos, outlines the ambitions of London’s only professional rugby league club and why the UK capital deserves a strong, competitive Super League presence.
LONDON’S RUGBY LEAGUE REVOLUTION
“London is such a great city and a sporting capital of the world, so we need to put rugby league on the map.”
In September 2025, Grant Wechsel became co-Owner of the London Broncos alongside one of the sport’s all-time greats, Darren Lockyer.
Originally formed in 1980 as Fulham Rugby League Club, they were renamed the London Broncos in 1994 following a takeover by the Brisbane Broncos – where Lockyer spent his entire professional career and became the club’s record appearance holder.
“Given Darren’s history as a Brisbane Bronco, there was this natural association for him to be involved in the London Broncos,” Wechsel tells us.
“The opportunity kind of fell into our laps. We’ve been in business together for 15 years in various things back in Australia, mainly the mining industry. We came over and had a look, then things moved really quickly because we had to be ready for the new season – it’s quite a crazy story how it’s all come together.”
Following the takeover, there has been a big push to rebrand the club to mark the next chapter in its journey, including an eye-catching new logo and a landmark multi-year apparel partnership with Reebok.
“It’s a big turnaround story – a lot of people call us the ‘Wrexham of rugby league’,” says Wechsel.
“London is such a great city and a sporting capital of the world, so we need to put rugby league on the map”
Grant Wechsel, co-Owner, London Broncos
SUPER LEAGUE AMBITIONS
The London Broncos are currently competing in the Championship, the second tier of rugby league, having missed out on selection for the expanded 14-team Super League in 2026.
Super League teams are determined by the IMG gradings system, with Grade A clubs guaranteed a spot and Grade B clubs taking the remaining places.
Despite moving up to 16th in the IMG gradings, with a Grade B score of 11.65 out of 20 for the upcoming season, this was not enough to be selected for the top division.
“Unfortunately, we were too low down in the IMG gradings. The feedback was that if we had been put in above the other teams, we would have effectively jumped over those ahead of us in the pecking order,” Wechsel acknowledges.
However, the London Broncos remain confident in their vision and long-term ambitions, and this decision has only strengthened the club’s commitment to reaching the top division once more.
“I think we would’ve been competitive straight away, but it gives us more time to prepare and has certainly increased my determination to make sure we’re back in the Super League in 2027.
“We’ve just got to do everything we can to get there and make sure our IMG gradings score is good enough to go up. We’ve recruited a great squad and coach, and we need to win the Championship this year to get our points up under the IMG gradings system to be promoted next year,” he sets out.
“We had a big win against the Widnes Vikings in our first game of the season, which showed our intent.”
The Challenge Cup, a knockout rugby league cup competition held annually since 1896, was the only opportunity the London Broncos had to face Super League clubs this season.
An emphatic, record-breaking 86-0 victory in the second round against their local rivals, the Wests Warriors, set a new benchmark for the largest competitive win in the club’s history.
Crucially, it also secured progression to the third round, where the London Broncos played against the Bradford Bulls – who were promoted to the Super League for 2026 – but ultimately lost 8-26.
“There’s an opportunity to build a significant club here; even a niche market in London is still a big market. For us, a big part of this opportunity was the location itself”
Grant Wechsel, co-Owner, London Broncos
DESTINATION LONDON
London is the beating heart of the UK and the ultimate playground for rugby league fanatics that dare to be different.
The capital has a diverse mix of cultures and demographics and offers a unique stage to showcase a sports brand that’s dynamic, modern, and ready to break the mould.
The London Broncos are committed to its long-term vision for a world-class rugby league club, outlining the sport’s development and expansion throughout London and Southern England.
“You have to respect that the history of rugby league is in the north and what all the big clubs have done, but if you’re looking to grow the game, London is clearly the biggest market you could expand into,” Wechsel notes.
The Rugby Football League (RFL) have been supportive of the club’s efforts to try and build out the game in London, something that can only strengthen the competition.
“There’s an opportunity to build a significant club here; even a niche market in London is still a big market. For us, a big part of this opportunity was the location itself,” he adds.
“If you’re a rugby league fan from anywhere in the UK, a weekend in London is great to do from a travel perspective. You could base a trip around coming to watch rugby league in the capital. It’s such a fantastic city; there are so many things for people to do that they can tie in and around watching the game.
“Even though we’re in the Championship, we’ve got three very high-profile National Rugby League (NRL) players at the club, and our captain has played for Australia, so you get to watch a level of rugby league that you probably haven’t been able to in London for some time,” Wechsel highlights.
As such, the club believes London deserves a strong, competitive Super League presence and is committed to making this a reality.
“It’s all about trying to attract new fans to the game and increase the popularity of the sport in London,” he passionately concludes.
“We’re attracting new fans by having a game day experience that’s a lot better than it was before and creating an atmosphere that people want to go to for a day out.”