List of Challenge Cup finals


The Challenge Cup of rugby league was instituted in the 1896–97 and the final was contested between Batley and St. Helens at Headingley, Leeds. In the seasons during the Second World War the final was played over two legs, with the aggregate score being used. The final was played 67 at many neutral venues up to and including 1928 after which it was mostly played at Wembley Stadium until 1939 just prior to the Second World War apart from 1932 when it was switched to Central Park, Wigan. In the war years, apart from 1940, it was played at various venues between 1941 and 1945 after which it returned to Wembley in 1946 when the final permanently became a Wembley final.
In 1909–10 Leeds and Hull F.C. drew 7–7 for the first time in a final at Huddersfield and a replay resulted in a Leeds win. There have been 3 replays, the latest being 1981–82 at Elland Road between Hull F.C. and Widnes.

List of Finals

SeasonChampions ScoreRunners upVenueAttendance
1897 [Challenge Cup|1896–97] Batley 10–3 St HelensHeadingley13,492
1897–98 Batley 7–0 Bradford F.C.Headingley27,941
1898–99 Oldham 19–9 HunsletFallowfield15,763
1899–00 Swinton 16–8 SalfordFallowfield17,864
1900–01 Batley 6–0 WarringtonHeadingley29,563
1901–02 Broughton Rangers 25–0 SalfordAthletic Ground15,006
1902–03 Halifax 7–0 SalfordHeadingley32,507
1903–04 Halifax 8–3 WarringtonThe Willows17,041
1904–05 Warrington 6–0 Hull Kingston RoversHeadingley19,638
1905–06 Bradford F.C. 5–0 SalfordHeadingley15,834
1906–07 Warrington 17–3 OldhamWheater's Field18,500
1907–08 Hunslet §14–0 Hull F.C.Fartown18,000
1908–09 Wakefield Trinity 17–0 Hull F.C.Headingley23,587
1909–10 Leeds7–7 Hull F.C.Fartown19,413
1909–10 Leeds 26–12 Hull F.C.Fartown11,608
1910–11 Broughton Rangers 4–0 WiganThe Willows8,000
1911–12 Dewsbury 8–5 OldhamHeadingley15,271
1912–13 Huddersfield †9–5 WarringtonHeadingley22,754
1913–14 Hull F.C. 6–0 Wakefield TrinityThrum Hall19,000
1914–15 Huddersfield §37–3 St HelensWatersheddings8,000
1919–20 Huddersfield 21–10 WiganHeadingley14,000
1920–21 Leigh 13–0 HalifaxWheater's Field25,000
1921–22 Rochdale 10–9 Hull F.C.Headingley32,596
1922–23 Leeds 28–3 Hull F.C.Belle Vue29,335
1923–24 Wigan 21–4 OldhamAthletic Ground41,831
1924–25 Oldham 16–3 Hull Kingston RoversHeadingley28,335
1925–26 Swinton 9–3 OldhamAthletic Ground27,000
1926–27 Oldham 26–7 SwintonCentral Park33,448
1927–28 Swinton §5–3 WarringtonCentral Park33,909
1928–29 Wigan 13–2 DewsburyWembley Stadium 41,500
1929–30 Widnes 10–3 St HelensWembley Stadium 36,544
1930–31 Halifax 22–8 YorkWembley Stadium 40,365
1931–32 Leeds 11–8 SwintonCentral Park29,000
1932–33 Huddersfield 21–17 WarringtonWembley Stadium 41,874
1933–34 Hunslet 11–5 WidnesWembley Stadium 41,280
1934–35 Castleford 11–8 HuddersfieldWembley Stadium 39,000
1935–36 Leeds 18–2 WarringtonWembley Stadium 51,250
1936–37 Widnes 18–5 KeighleyWembley Stadium 47,699
1937–38 Salford 7–4 BarrowWembley Stadium 51,243
1938–39 Halifax 20–3 SalfordWembley Stadium 55,453
1940–41 Leeds 19–2 HalifaxOdsal28,500
1941–42 Leeds 15–10 HalifaxOdsal15,250
1942–43 Dewsbury 16–9 LeedsCrown Flatt10,470
1942–43 Dewsbury 0–6 LeedsHeadingley16,000
1943–44 Bradford 3–0 WiganCentral Park22,000
1943–44 Bradford 8–0 WiganOdsal30,000
1944–45 Huddersfield 7–4 BradfordFartown9,041
1944–45 Huddersfield 6–5 BradfordOdsal17,500
1945–46 Wakefield Trinity 13–12 WiganWembley Stadium 54,730
1946–47 Bradford 8–4 LeedsWembley Stadium 77,605
1947–48 Wigan 8–3 BradfordWembley Stadium 91,465
1948–49 Bradford 12–0 HalifaxWembley Stadium 95,050
1949–50 Warrington 19–0 WidnesWembley Stadium 94,249
1950–51 Wigan 10–0 BarrowWembley Stadium 94,262
1951–52 Workington Town 18–10 Featherstone RoversWembley Stadium 72,093
1952–53 Huddersfield 15–10 St HelensWembley Stadium 89,588
1953–54 Warrington4–4 HalifaxWembley Stadium 81,841
1953–54 Warrington 8–4 HalifaxOdsal102,569
1954–55 Barrow 21–12 Workington TownWembley Stadium '66,513
1955–56 St Helens 13–2 HalifaxWembley Stadium '79,341
1956–57 Leeds 9–7 BarrowWembley Stadium '76,318
1957–58 Wigan 13–9 Workington TownWembley Stadium '66,109
1958–59 Wigan 30–13 Hull F.C.Wembley Stadium '79,811
1959–60 Wakefield Trinity 38–5 Hull F.C.Wembley Stadium '79,773
1960–61 St Helens 12–6 WiganWembley Stadium '94,672
1961–62 Wakefield Trinity 12–6 HuddersfieldWembley Stadium '81,263
1962–63 Wakefield Trinity 25–10 WiganWembley Stadium '84,492
1963–64 Widnes 13–5 Hull Kingston RoversWembley Stadium '84,488
1964–65 Wigan 20–16 HunsletWembley Stadium '89,016
1965–66 St Helens †21–2 WiganWembley Stadium '98,536
1966–67 Featherstone Rovers 17–12 BarrowWembley Stadium '76,290
1967–68 Leeds 11–10 Wakefield TrinityWembley Stadium '87,100
1968–69 Castleford 11–6 SalfordWembley Stadium '97,939
1969–70 Castleford 7–2 WiganWembley Stadium '95,255
1970–71 Leigh 24–7 LeedsWembley Stadium '85,514
1971–72 St Helens 16–13 LeedsWembley Stadium '89,495
1972–73 Featherstone Rovers 33–14 BradfordWembley Stadium '72,395
1973–74 Warrington 24–9 Featherstone RoversWembley Stadium '77,400
1974–75 Widnes 14–7 WarringtonWembley Stadium '85,098
1975–76 St Helens 20–5 WidnesWembley Stadium '89,982
1976–77 Leeds 16–7 WidnesWembley Stadium '80,871
1977–78 Leeds 14–12 St HelensWembley Stadium '96,000
1978–79 Widnes 12–3 Wakefield TrinityWembley Stadium '94,218
1979–80 Hull Kingston Rovers 10–5 Hull F.C.Wembley Stadium '95,000
1980–81 Widnes 18–9 Hull Kingston RoversWembley Stadium '92,496
1981–82 Hull F.C.14–14 WidnesWembley Stadium '92,147
1981–82 Hull F.C. 18–9 WidnesElland Road41,171
1982–83 Featherstone Rovers 14–12 Hull F.C.Wembley Stadium '84,969
1983–84 Widnes 19–6 WiganWembley Stadium '80,116
1984–85 Wigan 28–24 Hull F.C.Wembley Stadium '97,801
1985–86 Castleford 15–14 Hull Kingston RoversWembley Stadium '82,134
1986–87 Halifax 19–18 St HelensWembley Stadium '91,267
1987–88 Wigan 32–12 HalifaxWembley Stadium '94,273
1988–89 Wigan 27–0 St HelensWembley Stadium '78,000
1989–90 Wigan 36–14 WarringtonWembley Stadium '77,729
1990–91 Wigan 13–8 St HelensWembley Stadium '75,532
1991–92 Wigan †28–12 CastlefordWembley Stadium '77,386
1992–93 Wigan 20–14 WidnesWembley Stadium '77,684
1993–94 Wigan §26–16 LeedsWembley Stadium '78,348
1994–95 Wigan †30–10 LeedsWembley Stadium '78,550
1996 St Helens 40–32 BradfordWembley Stadium '75,994
1997 St Helens 32–22 BradfordWembley Stadium '78,022
1998 Sheffield 17–8 WiganWembley Stadium '60,669
1999 Leeds 52–16 LondonWembley Stadium '73,242
2000 Bradford 24–18 LeedsMurrayfield67,247
2001 St Helens 13–6 BradfordTwickenham68,250
2002 Wigan 21–12 St HelensMurrayfield62,140
2003 Bradford §22–20 LeedsMillennium Stadium71,212
2004 St Helens 32–16 WiganMillennium Stadium73,734
2005 Hull F.C. 25–24 LeedsMillennium Stadium74,213
2006 St Helens §42–12 HuddersfieldTwickenham65,187
2007 [Challenge Cup Final|2007] St Helens 30–8 CatalansWembley Stadium84,241
2008 Challenge [Cup Final|2008] St Helens 28–16 Hull F.C.Wembley Stadium82,821
2009 Warrington 25–16 HuddersfieldWembley Stadium76,560
2010 Warrington 30–6 LeedsWembley Stadium85,217
2011 Wigan 28–18 LeedsWembley Stadium78,482
2012 Warrington 35–18 LeedsWembley Stadium79,180
2013 Wigan 16–0 Hull F.C.Wembley Stadium78,137
2014 Leeds 23–10 CastlefordWembley Stadium77,914
2015 Leeds †50–0 Hull Kingston RoversWembley Stadium80,140
2016 Hull F.C. 12–10 WarringtonWembley Stadium76,235
2017 Hull F.C. 18–14 WiganWembley Stadium68,525
2018 Catalans 20–14 WarringtonWembley Stadium50,672
2019 Warrington 18–4 St HelensWembley Stadium62,717
2020 Leeds 17–16 SalfordWembley Stadium0
2021 St Helens 26–12 CastlefordWembley Stadium40,000
2022 Wigan 16–14 HuddersfieldTottenham Hotspur Stadium51,628
2023 Leigh 17–16 Hull Kingston RoversWembley Stadium58,213
2024 Wigan §18–8 WarringtonWembley Stadium64,845
2025 Hull Kingston Rovers''' †8–6 WarringtonWembley Stadium63,278

;Notes

Results by club

  • § Denotes club now defunct
  • ± Denotes a non-English club.

Venues

Current venue

DateVenueLocationCapacity
2007–2021; 2023–Wembley StadiumWembley, London90,000

Former venues

The Challenge Cup final has been held at 12 neutral venues.
VenueLocationCapacityLast Use
Wembley Stadium Wembley, London82,0002000
Twickenham StadiumTwickenham, London82,0002006
Millennium StadiumCardiff, South Glamorgan74,5002005
Murrayfield StadiumEdinburgh, Midlothian67,1442002
Tottenham Hotspur StadiumTottenham, London62,8502022
Athletic GroundsRochdale, Greater Manchester41,8311926
FartownHuddersfield, West Yorkshire35,0001945
Thrum HallHalifax, West Yorkshire29,0001914
WatersheddingsOldham, Greater Manchester28,0001942
OdsalBradford, West Yorkshire27,5001915
HeadingleyLeeds, West Yorkshire21,5001925
Wheater's FieldBroughton, Greater Manchester20,0001921
Central ParkWigan, Greater Manchester18,0001944
FallowfieldManchester, Greater Manchester15,0001900
Belle VueWakefield, West Yorkshire12,6001923
The WillowsWeaste, Greater Manchester11,3631911
Crown Flatt Dewsbury, West Yorkshire10,0001943

Replay venues

In the event of a draw a replay will be played at a neutral venue. There have been three replays.
YearVenueLocationCapacity
1909-10FartownHuddersfield, West Yorkshire35,000
1953-54OdsalBradford, West Yorkshire27,500
1981-82Elland RoadLeeds, West Yorkshire39,000