Payment of Players

The 2024 Payment of Players declaration opens on the 1 March 2024 and is required to be submitted before it closes on the 30 June 2024. This is mandatory for clubs whose men’s first XV team play at National League Level 1 to Counties Level 1 wishing to remain eligible for RFU benefits. For clubs whose men’s first XV team play at Counties 2and below the declaration is ONLY REQUIRED to be submitted if the club provides Material Benefits (payments as defined in Regulation 1) to players and/or engages a player coach. 

Clubs at Counties 2 and below DO NOT NEED to submit a completed declaration if they DO NOT provide Material Benefits to players and/or a player/coach. These clubs will not lose access to RFU benefits.

Clubs that do not submit a completed declaration within this time period or who declare that they paid above the set thresholds during the designated period will lose access to benefits for the 2024/25 season.

As a reminder, the declaration covers the period of 1 June 2023 – 31 May 2024.

Regulation 7 (Payment of Players) can be found in full here providing further information on thresholds and definition of RFU benefits.