Cardiff takeover deal with Ospreys owners collapses

Müsabaka gündeminden önemli bir haber: Cardiff takeover deal with Ospreys owners collapses Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency Image caption, Cardiff play home games at the Arms Park and will face Ospreys in a Welsh derby on Friday By Gareth Griffiths Sport Wales Published 11 minutes ago Comments The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) says negotiations with the owners of Ospreys to also buy Cardiff have fallen through. The WRU confirmed in January 2026 it had entered a period of exclusivity on the sale of Cardiff with Y11 Sport & Media, which owns Ospreys. That period expired in March but was extended by 30 days until Wednesday, 22 April.

The WRU and Y11 have "jointly agreed the Ospreys owners will withdraw from the bid process" for the proposed purchase of Cardiff after “constructive discussions” and Cardiff will remain under WRU ownership. No details have been given as to why negotiations broke down, with WRU chief executive Abi Tierney only confirming Cardiff would remain under the governing body's ownership for now. “Y11 presented the best bid for Cardiff but the WRU has concluded it is in the best interests of Welsh rugby for Cardiff to remain under our ownership for now,” said Tierney.

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"We are all very grateful to Y11 for the professionalism and commitment to Welsh rugby they have displayed throughout this process. " Ospreys and Scarlets are thought to be the two men's sides most under threat from the WRU's plans to cut one of the four professional Welsh regional sides. But the governing body says both teams can sign Welsh rugby’s latest Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA) - with Cardiff and Dragons having already signed - that runs through until 2030.

This comes almost a year after the WRU took the offer off the table. The governing body says its long-term aim is still to implement the controversial policy of cutting a professional side. The WRU wants to achieve this by the end of the 2027-28 season and will outline the terms of how this will be achieved by June 2026.

Despite some apparent stability and status quo of four sides existing for the next two seasons, the WRU says it wants a reduction to three teams in time for the 2028-29 campaign. Tierney vows to carry on with WRU three-team plan Published 10 March WRU has 'lost argument' over plans - Senedd chair Published 3 March WRU boss Tierney does not feel safe after Nazi 'hate speech' act Published 26 February WRU 'undeterred' in plan to cut region Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency Image caption, Abi Tierney became the first woman to be appointed as Welsh Rugby Union chief executive in January 2024 The WRU holds the licences for the Welsh professional men's sides competing in the United Rugby Championship (URC) and European competitions. In October 2025 it proposed to cut one of those teams and award three new licences, one in Cardiff, one in the east and one in the west.

The WRU has this month endured an extraordinary general meeting (EGM), while chair Richard Collier-Keywood will leave the role in July .

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