Ottawa have been given the go-ahead in principle to enter League One in 2020 but New York have been told they must wait another year to follow Toronto into the English game.

The Rugby Football League's board of directors delivered their verdict today on the applications from both overseas clubs, with mixed news for the two bidders.

Canadian Eric Perez, the founder of Super League hopefuls Toronto Wolfpack, has been told he can re-locate Hemel to the Canadian capital in time to start playing next February but the RFL says 2020 is too soon for New York.

It means third-tier Keighley Cougars - who only played Toronto at Cougar Park when the Wolfpack were in League One - could be set for a trip to Canada next season.

A statement from the RFL said: "The application for Hemel Stags to be relocated to Ottawa has been accepted in principle - although both the RFL and the consortia have agreed that some further work is required before it can be confirmed that the Stags will be ready to start the 2020 season in Ottawa.

"With regard to the New York bid, the RFL and the consortium have agreed that entry into League One in time for 2020 is not achievable without placing the club under undue pressure, because it is a start-up operation without the benefit of existing operations already being in place, and due to some change in the ownership structure during the process.

"The RFL has therefore encouraged the club to work towards entry into League One in 2021."

Ricky Wilby, the Huddersfield entrepreneur behind the New York bid, indicated his consortium would be happy to wait for another year before making their entry.

"We are pleased to have got this far," he said. "In terms of timing, 2021 is the right decision."