The Gallagher Premiership is the top professional rugby union league in England. It features twelve teams that compete annually for the championship title. The league operates on a promotion and relegation system with the second-tier league, known as the RFU Championship. Matches are typically held from September to June, with each team playing 22 games in a round-robin format. The top four teams at the end of the regular season qualify for the playoffs, culminating in the final, where the champion is crowned. The league is named after its title sponsor, Gallagher, a global insurance brokerage.