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Worcester Warriors' hopes of returning to professional rugby have potentially moved a significant step closer to reality.

The club, which went into administration in 2022, has been formally invited by the Rugby Football Union to consider applying to compete in the Championship, the second tier of the domestic game.

The deadline to do so is 13 October and owner Christopher Holland said: "The Warriors will be submitting their expression of interest next week."

It is expected that if the Warriors were eventually awarded a place in the Championship, it would be for the 2025-26 season.

Holland last week confirmed a commitment to "return Warriors to professional rugby" when plans were announced to redevelop their former Sixways home to include a hotel, solar farm and medical centre.

Currently Sixways is home only to football - to non-league side Worcester Raiders, who play in the Hellenic League Premier, and Worcester City Women, who play in Division One Midlands.

A new logo and website were recently launched - and a substantial five-figure sum has been spent refurbishing the eight-year-old artificial playing surface.

Holland also owns Wasps, who went out of business in the same season as Worcester, and have been linked with a move to Kent.

Meanwhile, the future and make-up of the Championship beyond this season has yet to be confirmed with a number of clubs expressing concerns about its finances.

The Professional Game Partnership (PGP) has an agreement with the RFU and Premiership Rugby (PRL) for the next eight years.

It will see Premiership clubs receiving £33m per season as the PGP aims "to create world-leading English teams and thriving professional leagues".

But Championship clubs – which are not a part of the new deal - will each receive their lowest ever sum of £133,000 this season.

From 2025-26, as part of the PGP, a two-legged play-off will see the bottom-placed Premiership side and the winner of the Championship meet to decide who stays up or goes up - provided the second-tier club meets the minimum criteria for promotion.

³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Hereford and Worcester’s sports editor Trevor Owens:

"In pure rugby terms, this is the first potential good news that Warriors supporters have had in around two years.

"Of course, it’s not a done deal and Warriors will have to put a strong case to the RFU as they are likely to face some opposition to their direct entry to the second tier.

"Among the issues that will need to be addressed will be the RFU’s stipulation regarding the repayment of rugby creditors.

"But Warriors fans will be feeling that there is now potentially some light at the end of what has been a very dark tunnel."