Salford Red Devils to appoint new head coach in 2026 as Paul Rowley agrees role switch

Salford Red Devils have confirmed that head coach Paul Rowley will become the club’s new director of rugby in 2026, as exclusively revealed by Love Rugby League back in June.

Rowley will continue in his current role as head coach for the 2025 season before taking the reins as director of rugby from November 1, 2025.

The Red Devils say that their new head coach for the 2026 season onwards will be ‘communicated to supporters very soon’.

Since joining Salford’s set-up in 2019, Rowley has helped transform the fortunes of the club, being part of the coaching staff that guided the Red Devils to their first – and only – Super League Grand Final in 2019 and the Challenge Cup final in 2020.

Salford have continued to defy the odds under Rowley, who was appointed as head coach ahead of the 2022 season, finishing inside the play-off places in two of his three seasons in charge, with the 49-year-old being nominated for Super League’s Coach of the Year award on three consecutive occasions.

From 2026 onwards, Rowley will oversee the club’s football department on all levels, including the men’s, women’s, reserves and the club’s newly-awarded elite academy.

The Leigh-born coach will be in control of talent ID, player contracts and the pathways to professional rugby league for Salford’s next generation of stars.

He will also have a seat on the club board from 2026, and will become a key decision-maker in his new role.

“First and foremost I just want to thank you for the season we’ve had,” Rowley said upon the announcement of his director of rugby role.

“The Grand Final is over now. It’s been a great year; I’ve totally enjoyed it and I’m hoping to see you all next year as well.

“With that in mind, I just want to re-emphasise and reiterate the fact that I’m not going anywhere. I’m certainly committed to being at Salford, first and foremost as a coach in 2025.

“I absolutely love it here. I’m committed to this place, and I want to be here for 2025 and beyond. That’s what I will be doing. I won’t be going anywhere.

“I want to be part of the growth of the club. There’s a lot happening on and off the field and I want to be a part of that. As the club grows and the business grows, at some point at the end of next year I’ll look towards stepping upstairs into some form of football director role.

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“So, onto the staff, if you’d like. And that will be a long-term appointment, so to connect all the facets of the business, facilitate the football department and maintain some fingerprints on the football department as well.

“I’ve put a lot of people in place that have got long-term futures now at the club, good people – and there’s got to be succession.

“I’ve always said I want to appoint my successor and that’s what I’ve done at every club I’ve been at. This is no different.

“I’m looking forward first and foremost to next year and you guys jumping on board and carrying on that journey with me and the team.

“And then beyond that, like I said before, connecting all the facets of an ever-growing group in what is a really exciting future going forward.”

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Salford Red Devils chief ‘delighted’ to secure Paul Rowley for the long-term

Salford’s managing director Paul King has revealed Rowley has turned down approaches from three clubs to remain at the Salford Community Stadium over the last 12 months: and that retaining his services for the long-term will help build a legacy for the club that will last generations.

“We are delighted to secure Paul’s future for the long term,” King said.

“In the last 12 months he has turned down approaches from three clubs to remain at Salford, so it was imperative we returned that loyalty and provided him with the opportunity to build a legacy for the club that will last generations.

“I appreciate Paul is renowned as the leading coach of his generation, but I have worked with him now since 2019 and he has a great deal to offer not just in developing our playing and coaching network, but also in wider areas of the sport.”

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