Rugby League Challenge Cup Preview & Betting Guide

Challenge Cup Preview

Who won the 2025 Challenge Cup?

It was back-to-back Challenge Cup Finals for the Warrington Wolves, who would be looking to make amends for their 18-8 defeat to Wigan Warriors a year earlier.

This time, they faced Hull KR, and unfortunately, it was the same outcome; they were defeated 8-6 and handing them back-to-back final defeats.

In front of 63,278 fans, they did head in at halftime with a 6-2 lead but were scoreless in the second half, and a 78th-minute try from Tom Davies handed Hull KR the win.

Warrington Wolves scrum-half Marc Sneyd won the Lance Todd Trophy by being named man of the match.

When is the 2026 Challenge Cup?

The 2026 Challenge Cup is expected to take place on similar dates, with the first round matches in January and will conclude at Wembley Stadium in early June.

Who are the favourites to win the Challenge Cup?

You can expect the likes of Wigan Warriors, St. Helens, Warrington and Hull KR to head the market once the market has been formed.

Who will win the Challenge Cup?

Can Hull KR make it two on the bounce? Could Warrington make a third final and win this time?

You can see which team the OLBG rugby tipsters are tipping for success this season, as well as their picks throughout the season.

Who are OLBG's top Rugby League Tipsters? OLBG's experts regularly make substantial profits on their Rugby League tips. Make sure you check their latest selections.

What is the Challenge Cup Format?

There are seven rounds of the Challenge Cup, starting with 34 UK-based community teams in the first round.

In the second round, we see 23 teams from League One and the Championship enter the competition (Toulouse has once again declined to take part).

Then, in round three, the twelve Super League teams enter the competition, which is a very similar setup to the FA Cup, just with fewer teams.

Challenge Cup Past Winners

Wigan Warriors won their second title in four years when defeating Warrington in 2024, having also won it in 2022, which was their first success since 2013.

Hull KR's success in 2025 ended a long wait for the title, with the only previous win coming back in 1980, a 45-year wait to lift the cup for a second time!

Wigan are the most successful team with 21 wins, that is seven ahead of Leeds on 14, and the only other team in double-figures is St Helens with 13.

Here are the last ten Challenge Cup Champions:

Challenge Cup Favourite Statistics

Favourites seem to have been much more reliable in recent seasons, after dipping to 68% in 2020, it took a big jump in 2021 to 85% and remained in the 80s for the next two seasons, with 81% in 2022 and 84% in 2023.

It did dip in 2024 with 74% of favourites being successful and then rose again in 2025 to 91%, but if you look at the average between 2015 & 2020, only 73% of favourites won compared to the last five seasons, where on average 82% of favourites won so quite some difference of late.

Rugby League Tournament Favourites Comparison

Here is a comparison between some of the top rugby league tournaments (Knockouts) for winning favourites.

Challenge Cup Records

Which team has won the most Challenge Cups?

Wigan Warriors are well ahead of the rest when it comes to the number of Challenge Cup wins, having won it 21 times, their first coming in 1924 and their most recent in 2024.

They are seven ahead of Leeds Rhinos, who have fourteen wins, and then the only other club with double-figure wins is St. Helens with thirteen titles.

Who has made it to the most Challenge Cup finals?

Having won seven titles more than anyone else, you would expect Wigan Warriors, and you would be correct because, as well as their 21 titles, they have also been beaten finalists 13 times, making it 34 final appearances.

Very much like the number of titles won, it is Leeds Rhinos (26) and St. Helens (23) who come next on the list for the number of final appearances.

Warrington Wolves are fourth on the list, with nine titles. They have made the final a total of 21 times because they have been beaten 12 times, and they have lost more than they have won, making the final.