By STEVE MASCORD
YORK are closing in on a sellout for the opening game of the 2026 Super League season at home against Hull KR, which will serve as the Knights’ debut in the competition.
York is joining an expanded 14-team Super League this year and will host defending champions the Robins at the LNER Community Stadium on Thursday, February 12.
The LNER Community Stadium holds a maximum capacity of 8,500, with the stadium’s record attendance of 8,402 held by last year’s Challenge Cup semi-final in May between Hull KR and Catalans Dragons.
The Knights are on track to break that record and sell out the ground for the season opener.
“The odds are in our favour that it will be a sellout,” York chairman Clint Goodchild told rugbyleaguehub.com Long Reads.
“I’ve no doubt with a few weeks before the first game that we’ll get there. All signs are positive.”
York, originally known as York Football Club and then as York Wasps, was founded in 1868 and joined the RFL in 1901. In 2002 the Wasps folded and the Knights were formed in 2003 as a phoenix club.
Before this year, York hadn’t played in Super League since the competition started in 1996.
Goodchild, who took over the club in 2022, says the opening game against Hull KR will be a celebration.
“It’s a real honour to be the first game of the Super League season,” he said.
“So, to have that spotlight is really humbling. We’re really excited for it and the city is right behind it.
“The numbers don’t lie – we’ve sold more jerseys from our jersey launch in three days than we did all of last year.
“So getting those re-orders in now and trying to get everything stocked up for that home game is the sort of challenges we want as a club.”