The Toulouse Stadium is at risk. The National Rugby League (LNR) announced in a press release this Sunday that the Toulouse club was summoned on May 26 before the disciplinary committee, among other things, for “exceeding” the salary cap in three of the last four seasons.
“The salary cap manager”, whose role is, as indicated in his title, to ensure compliance with the salary cap for Top 14 rugby clubs “has noted several alleged infringements on the part of Stade Toulousain”, explains the League. He accuses the red and black club of “exceeding the salary cap ceiling” in three of the last four seasons but also of “failure to comply with the general obligation of transparency and cooperation” from 2021 to 2025.
The most successful club in the history of French rugby faces a heavy fine and a recruitment ban. However, the club does not risk sporting sanctions, such as withdrawal of points or demotion, because these were only put in place from the current season.
Didier Lacroix called for salary cap reform
Stade Toulouse has already been fined 50,000 euros, suspended in 2023, following the departure of Springbok winger Cheslin Kolbe to Toulon. In 2025, he agreed as part of mediation to pay a “contribution” of 1.3 million euros to the LNR as part of the transfer of international fullback Melvyn Jaminet from Perpignan.
At the end of March, the president of Stade Toulouse Didier Lacroix wrote a letter to his counterparts calling on them to reform the salary cap, considering it partially “illegal and inconsistent”. The club also sent a request for repeal of several provisions to the League, which does not intend to follow up. The dispute could go all the way back to the Council of State.
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