High Court Orders Liquidation of Salford Red Devils

London's High Court ordered the liquidation of the Salford Red Devils, a 152-year-old rugby league club, on Wednesday, ending its long history amid mounting financial debts. The decision came during a brief hearing at the Insolvency and Companies Court of the Royal Courts of Justice, prompted by an unpaid tax bill owed to His Majesty's Revenue and Customs.

The club, based in Salford, England, had faced severe financial difficulties throughout the year. It finished at the bottom of the Super League in 2025, securing just three wins in 27 matches, which led to automatic relegation to the second-tier Championship. The team was scheduled to begin the 2026 season with a home game against local rivals Oldham on January 16 but will now be unable to fulfill those plans under its current structure.

A consortium led by Swiss businessman Dario Berta, chief executive of investment bank Matanel, took over the club in February in an effort to stabilize its finances. However, the ownership struggled to meet obligations, including repeated delays in player wages that triggered a mass exodus of athletes and the forfeiture of at least one fixture. Several senior figures, including executives,...