Million Pound Game
{{Infobox rugby league football competition
| name = Million Pound Game
| current_season =
| logo = Million_pound_game.jpeg
| pixels = 200
| caption =
| founded = 2015
| ceased = 2018
| teams = 2
| country = {{ENG}} (RFL)
{{CAN}}
{{FRA}}
| gov_body =
| champion =
| season =
| most_champs = four-way tie
| count = 1
| website =
| TV = Sky Sports
BBC Sport (Highlights)
| qualification =
| related_comps =
}}
Million Pound Game (stylized as £1M Game) was an annual rugby league game that decides which Championship teams will be promoted to Super League, and which Super League teams would be relegated for the following season. Instituted in 2015 and played until 2018, the game was played as the final of The Qualifiers replacing the playoffs and Championship Grand Final.
In 2019, the Championship Grand Final returned but used the "Million Pound Game" name until 2021.
The name alludes to the higher level of funding Super League clubs receive.{{Cite news |title=Expansion 'Pack or capital gain? |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-league/45719115 |access-date=2022-11-19}}
Format
{{see also|Championship Grand Final}}
=2015–2018: The Qualifiers=
Starting for the 2015 season, the bottom 4 teams in the Super League played the top four teams in the Championship in a league of eight. The top three teams were awarded a place in Super League whilst teams finishing fourth and fifth play each other for the final Super League place in a game called the Million Pound Game.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lindependant.fr/2014/07/25/rugby-a-xiii-la-nouvelle-organisation-de-la-super-league-devoilee,1911514.php|title = Rugby à XIII : La nouvelle organisation de la Super League dévoilée}}
=2019–2021: Playoffs=
The 2019 season saw return of the playoffs and the Championship Grand Final to determine promotion to the Super League and, with the Super 8s being scrapped, the winners of the RFL Championship.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/jun/12/super-league-scrap-super-8-format |title=Super League decides to scrap controversial Super 8 format |work=The Guardian |date=12 June 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.rugby-league.com/2019_structure |title=2019 Structure |publisher=Rugby Football League |date=4 September 2018 |accessdate=21 September 2019}} The name "Millions Pound Game" was retained for the final due to marketing purposes until 2021, with the 2022 final being called the "Championship Grand Final" again.{{Cite web |title=Million Pound Game 2021: Old friends do battle as Featherstone Rovers and Toulouse Olympique clash |url=https://www.skysports.com/amp/rugby-league/news/37087/12427469/million-pound-game-2021-old-friends-do-battle-as-featherstone-rovers-and-toulouse-olympique-clash |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=Sky Sports |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Championship Grand Final: Jon Wells on Toulouse or London Broncos aiming to join Super League in 2024 |url=https://www.skysports.com/amp/rugby-league/news/11070/12983934/championship-grand-final-jon-wells-on-toulouse-or-london-broncos-aiming-to-join-super-league-in-2024 |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=Sky Sports |language=en}}
Results
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
!Year !Winner ! Score !Runner up !Venue !Attendance !Ref. |
| 2015
|{{leagueicon|wakefield|16}} Wakefield Trinity |24–16 |{{leagueicon|bradford|16}} Bradford Bulls |7,236 |
| 2016
|{{leagueicon|salford city|16}} Salford Red Devils |19–18 |{{leagueicon|hull kr|16}} Hull Kingston Rovers |6,562 |
| 2017
|{{leagueicon|Catalans|16}} Catalans Dragons |26–10 |{{leagueicon|Leigh|16}} Leigh Centurions |6,888 |
| 2018
|{{leagueicon|london|16}} London Broncos |4–2 |{{leagueicon|toronto|16}} Toronto Wolfpack |9,246 |
=Winners=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: left;"
!Club !Wins !Last win !Runners-up !Last final lost |
| {{leagueicon|Wakefield|16}} Wakefield Trinity
|1 |2015 |0 |N/A |
| {{leagueicon|Salford City Reds|16}} Salford Red Devils
|1 |2016 |0 |N/A |
| {{leagueicon|Catalans|16}} Catalans Dragons
|1 |2017 |0 |N/A |
| {{leagueicon|London|16}} London Broncos
|1 |2018 |0 |N/A |
| {{leagueicon|Bradford|16}} Bradford Bulls
|0 |N/A |1 |2015 |
| {{leagueicon|Hull KR|16}} Hull Kingston Rovers
|0 |N/A |1 |2016 |
| {{leagueicon|Toronto|16}} Toronto Wolfpack
|0 |N/A |1 |2018 |
| {{leagueicon|Leigh|16}} Leigh Centurions
|0 |N/A |1 |2017 |
See also
{{Portal|Sports}}