The RFU is set to confirm the radical restructuring of English rugby

A radical new structure for English rugby is expected to be approved at a Rugby Football Union board meeting on Friday.

The Perim will be separated from the rest of the pyramid, with the traditional promotion and relegation immediately abolished.

Instead, the Prem will look to expand from 10 teams to 12 teams by 2030, with the potential for further expansion if ambitious clubs meet criteria on and off the pitch.

This could mean clubs such as Wasps, Worcester and London Irish – all of which went bust in the 2022-23 season – return to the top flight in the future.

In the current situation, there is a mechanism for promotion and relegation to and from the first division through a playoff with the first-place team in the champion.

However, Ealing Trailfinders, consistently the best team in the Second Division, have failed to meet current standards – particularly in relation to the size of the stadium.

There has been no relegation from the Prem since Saracens went down in 2020 after a massive points deduction for salary cap breaches. Sarez was also the last team to gain promotion after winning the championship in 2021.

Under the new plans, ambitious clubs will still be able to apply for a place in the Prem, but will need to meet a variety of revamped criteria – which could be financial and commercial as well as performance and potential on the pitch.

English rugby insiders expect the new structure to collectively raise standards across clubs and make the game more attractive to investors.

“We have lifted the restrictions on what we want clubs to do across the board,” one senior executive said.

According to sources, any club will be able to apply for a place in the expanded Prem.

They could be ambitious teams like Coventry, former sleeper powers like Wasps – who are planning to relaunch at Kent in the coming seasons – or entirely new entities.

Champions Clubs had previously rejected plans for a franchise-type model, but senior figures in the club game insist its board was consulted throughout the process and has backed the recommendation.

A senior source told the BBC: “It could be transformative for ambitious clubs.”

“We are looking at a range of different options to make the Premier League prosperous, exciting and really interesting to invest in,” Bill Sweeney, chief executive of the Russian Football Association, told BBC Sport last year.

“Part of that will be a model where you can qualify for an expanded Premier League, but based on criteria around financial sustainability, fan base and stadium, not just performance on the field of play.”