Swansea Council has applied for a High Court injunction to halt the proposed deal between the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and Ospreys owners Y11 Sport and Media to buy Cardiff. The move comes amid fears the transaction could eliminate the Ospreys from the professional tier.

The council's cabinet approved the action on Monday with cross-party support, seeking an urgent hearing potentially this week. Swansea Council argues the deal would effectively end the Ospreys as a men's professional regional rugby team in the United Rugby Championship. The council, which plans to redevelop St Helen's ground for the Ospreys, wants to preserve the current four-team regional structure while exploring alternative options.

The legal challenge follows weeks of escalating protests from Ospreys fans and concerns from local stakeholders. The council has also separately requested the Competition and Markets Authority investigate the WRU-Y11 deal, citing worries about reducing professional teams from four to three and potential conflicts from one ownership group controlling multiple Welsh clubs. The injunction would temporarily block the transaction while all parties consider the future of regional rugby in Wales.