IF Keighley Cougars do not make it out of Betfred League 1 this season, they will be joined in the third tier next year by a new Yorkshire rival.

The RFL have confirmed today that Goole Vikings have beaten off competition from Bedford Tigers and Anglian Vipers to take their place in the division in 2025.

The Vikings were founded as a community club in 2018 and have been playing in the Yorkshire Men’s League, with junior teams playing in the City of Hull and District Competition.

Rugby League Council members were informed of the decision at their September meeting today at the Salford Community Stadium.

A separate decision will be made at December’s Council meeting about whether Goole should be admitted to membership of the Rugby Football League.

League 1 will have 10 teams next season, including Goole, but Cougars will be hoping they are not one of those.

To avoid that fate, they must come through the play-off series, which starts for them this Sunday at home to Rochdale Hornets, who beat Hunslet 30-18 in the pair's qualifying play-off on Sunday.

If Cougars win that, they will go straight into the League 1 play-off final on October 6, or if they lose, they will get a second chance in the preliminary final on September 29.

Win that and they will take their place in the League 1 play-off final, just having played one extra game.

If Cougars come through the League 1 play-off final, they still will not yet be promoted, as they will take part in the promotion play-off on October 13.

Whoever triumphs in that game, between the 12th placed finishers in the Championship and the League 1 play-off final winners, will take their place in the second tier next year.

As it stands, Swinton Lions are the side currently 12th in the Championship, but they could still overtake any one of Batley Bulldogs, Halifax Panthers or Barrow Raiders above them with two games of the season left to go.

Dewsbury are already down, dead last in 14th with only two points all season, and as it stands, 13th-placed Whitehaven will go down automatically with them.

But Whitehaven are only two points behind Swinton, so could feasibly climb above them in what is set to be a thrilling climax to the Championship campaign.