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Huddersfield Giants and Warrington Wolves to join expanded 2020 Womens Super League
Huddersfield Giants and Warrington Wolves will join an expanded 10-team Women's Super League next season.
Both sides met the criteria for promotion from the Championship by finishing in the top four, with Wolves winning the Grand Final.
They have been granted two-year memberships to the top tier of women's rugby league starting in 2020.
"This is another positive step in the Super League success story," said RFL's head of growth Thomas Brindle.
"Congratulations are due to Huddersfield and Warrington for the progress they have made in a relatively short period of time to be able to meet the standards required. It's also testament to all involved in the thriving Championship competition."
The WSL was launched by the Rugby Football League in 2017 with four teams and this is the third consecutive season the league has grown in numbers.
Both clubs impressed the RFL's WSL Management Group with strong applications that showed their commitments to coaching, and to the girls' pathway.
Brindle added: "The expansion to seven clubs in 2018 and eight in 2019 has undoubtedly enhanced the stature of the competition and of women's rugby league.
"We have a significant goal of increasing the number of women and girls playing rugby league to 21,000 by 2021 - when England will host the Women's World Cup alongside men's and wheelchair competitions."
Ben Westwood, who coaches Warrington Wolves Women as part of his role as a community coach with the Wolves Foundation, said gaining promotion was "fantastic".
"We will continue to run under the Foundation next year, which allows us to continue the growth of both the women's and girls games in the Warrington area, after a very successful first season both on and off the field," he said.
A delighted Lisa Darwin, chief executive of Huddersfield Giants Community Trust, added: "Giants Women team started out as an under-19s team in 2018, progressing to the Championship last season.
"Being part of the Women's Super League can only improve our profile and growth, allowing the Trust to have a larger impact for women's and girls sport within Huddersfield and the surrounding areas."