Toronto Wolfpack announce rugby league return this summer

Wolfpack entered Betfred League One in 2017 and rose to the top-flight three years later, but did not return following the long Covid shutdown in 2020.

Then coached by ex-Leeds Rhinos boss Brian McDermott, their final Super League game was a 66-12 defeat at Headingley, though they beat Huddersfield Giants in a Challenge Cup tie a week later, before rugby league was halted by the pandemic.

The Canadian outfit had hoped to compete in a new North American Rugby League, but now say they have “decided to control our own destiny and grow our own competition”.

An open letter to fans, on social media platform Twitter, stated: “As a result, the team will be hosting the 2023 Toronto Wolfpack Canada Cup.

“We will be playing a minimum of 10 games this season at the ‘Den’, Lamport Stadium. The 2023 Canada Cup will have the Wolfpack hosting rugby league teams from the United States and from Canada.

“In addition, the team is hard at work negotiating one additional international match for the 2023 season. The Canada Cup event will then expand to a 15-minimum home game season in 2024 with three additional away games played in the United States. In total, 18 games are planned for the 2024 season.”