Tony Sutton, the chief executive of England’s Rugby Football League (RFL) governing body, has announced his intention to step down from the role.

Sutton, who has been the chief executive of the body that organizes English rugby league since 2022, will depart the organization after aiding in succession planning and the appointment of his successor.

A veteran executive at club Hull FC, Sutton joined the RFL in 2017 as the director of finance and facilities, becoming chief operating officer in 2019 before his elevation to chief executive in 2022, when he replaced the outgoing Ralph Rimmer.

On his departure, Sutton stated: “It has been a privilege to work in a sport I have come to love over more than two decades, with Hull FC and the RFL – and especially to hold the position of chief executive of the RFL for the last three years.

“There have inevitably been major challenges during that period, most obviously the pandemic of 2020 – but throughout them all, it is the commitment and support of the staff of the RFL that I will remember the most fondly.”

Through the remainder of 2025, Sutton will continue to assist the RFL board in several areas, including the club grading system that was instituted in 2024 by the league’s long-term commercial partner, IMG, and will continue to sit on the panel that will deliberate on the prospective expansion of the top-flight Super League to 14 teams.

During his tenure, Sutton oversaw numerous projects, including the relocation of the body’s headquarters to Etihad Campus, Manchester, and perhaps most prominently, aided the securing of the government loan package that supported the sport through the Covid-19 pandemic-enforced shutdown.

Commenting on the future, the RFL board added: “The RFL and Rugby League Commercial have strong executive management teams who, supported by both boards, are well-placed to maximize the exciting prospects and opportunities for the sport this autumn and into 2026, allowing us to run our recruitment process.”