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 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 1941–45 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
Season
Winners
Score
Runners-up
Venue
Attendance
1896–97
Batley
10–3
St Helens
Headingley
13,492
1897–98
Batley (2)
7–0
Bradford F.C.
27,941
1898–99
Oldham
19–9
Hunslet
Fallowfield
15,763
1899–1900
Swinton
16–8
Salford
17,864
1900–01
Batley (3)
6–0
Warrington
Headingley
29,563
1901–02
Broughton Rangers ‡
25–0
Salford
Athletic Ground
15,006
1902–03
Halifax ‡
7–0
Salford
Headingley
32,507
1903–04
Halifax (2)
8–3
Warrington
The Willows
17,041
1904–05
Warrington
6–0
Hull Kingston Rovers
Headingley
19,638
1905–06
Bradford F.C.
5–0
Salford
15,834
1906–07
Warrington (2)
17–3
Oldham
Wheater's Field
18,500
1907–08
Hunslet #
14–0
Hull F.C.
Fartown
18,000
1908–09
Wakefield Trinity
17–0
Hull F.C.
Headingley
23,587
1909–10
Leeds
7–7
Hull F.C.
Fartown
19,413
Leeds
26–12 (R)
Hull F.C.
11,608
1910–11
Broughton Rangers (2)
4–0
Wigan
The Willows
8,000
1911–12
Dewsbury
8–5
Oldham
Headingley
15,271
1912–13
Huddersfield §
9–5
Warrington
22,754
1913–14
Hull FC
6–0
Wakefield Trinity
Thrum Hall
19,000
1914–15
Huddersfield # (2)
37–3
St Helens
Watersheddings
8,000
1919–20
Huddersfield (3)
21–10
Wigan
Headingley
14,000
1920–21
Leigh
13–0
Halifax
Wheater's Field
25,000
1921–22
Rochdale Hornets
10–9
Hull FC
Headingley
32,596
1922–23
Leeds (2)
28–3
Hull FC
Belle Vue
29,335
1923–24
Wigan
21–4
Oldham
Athletic Ground
41,831
1924–25
Oldham (2)
16–3
Hull Kingston Rovers
Headingley
28,335
1925–26
Swinton (2)
9–3
Oldham
Athletic Ground
27,000
1926–27
Oldham (3)
26–7
Swinton
Central Park
33,448
1927–28
Swinton # (3)
5–3
Warrington
33,909
1928–29
Wigan (2)
13–2
Dewsbury
Wembley Stadium
41,500
1929–30
Widnes
10–3
St Helens
36,544
1930–31
Halifax (3)
22–8
York
40,365
1931–32
Leeds (3)
11–8
Swinton
Central Park
29,000
1932–33
Huddersfield (4)
21–17
Warrington
Wembley Stadium
41,874
1933–34
Hunslet (2)
11–5
Widnes
41,280
1934–35
Castleford
11–8
Huddersfield
39,000
1935–36
Leeds (4)
18–2
Warrington
51,250
1936–37
Widnes (2)
18–5
Keighley
47,699
1937–38
Salford
7–4
Barrow
51,243
1938–39
Halifax (4)
20–3
Salford
55,453
1940–41
Leeds (5)
19–2
Halifax
Odsal
28,500
1941–42
Leeds (6)
15–10
Halifax
15,250
1942–43
Dewsbury
16–9
Leeds
Crown Flatt
10,470
0–6
Headingley
16,000
1943–44
Bradford Northern
3–0
Wigan
Central Park
22,000
8–0
Odsal
30,000
1944–45
Huddersfield (5)
7–4
Bradford Northern
Fartown
9,041
6–5
Odsal
17,500
1945–46
Wakefield Trinity (2)
13–12
Wigan
Wembley Stadium
54,730
1946–47
Bradford Northern (2)
8–4
Leeds
77,605
1947–48
Wigan (3)
8–3
Bradford Northern
91,465
1948–49
Bradford Northern (3)
12–0
Halifax
95,050
1949–50
Warrington (3)
19–0
Widnes
94,249
1950–51
Wigan (4)
10–0
Barrow
94,262
1951–52
Workington Town
18–10
Featherstone Rovers
72,093
1952–53
Huddersfield (6)
15–10
St Helens
89,588
1953–54
Warrington
4–4
Halifax
81,841
Warrington ‡ (4)
8–4 (R)
Halifax
Odsal
102,569
1954–55
Barrow
21–12
Workington Town
Wembley Stadium
66,513
1955–56
St Helens
13–2
Halifax
79,341
1956–57
Leeds (7)
9–7
Barrow
76,318
1957–58
Wigan (5)
13–9
Workington Town
66,109
1958–59
Wigan (6)
30–13
Hull FC
79,811
1959–60
Wakefield Trinity (3)
38–5
Hull FC
79,773
1960–61
St Helens (2)
12–6
Wigan
94,672
1961–62
Wakefield Trinity (4)
12–6
Huddersfield
81,263
1962–63
Wakefield Trinity (5)
25–10
Wigan
84,492
1963–64
Widnes (3)
13–5
Hull Kingston Rovers
84,488
1964–65
Wigan (7)
20–16
Hunslet
89,016
1965–66
St Helens § (3)
21–2
Wigan
98,536
1966–67
Featherstone Rovers
17–12
Barrow
76,290
1967–68
Leeds (8)
11–10
Wakefield Trinity
87,100
1968–69
Castleford (2)
11–6
Salford
97,939
1969–70
Castleford (3)
7–2
Wigan
95,255
1970–71
Leigh (2)
24–7
Leeds
85,514
1971–72
St Helens (4)
16–13
Leeds
89,495
1972–73
Featherstone Rovers (2)
33–14
Bradford Northern
72,395
1973–74
Warrington (5)
24–9
Featherstone Rovers
77,400
1974–75
Widnes (4)
14–7
Warrington
85,098
1975–76
St Helens (5)
20–5
Widnes
89,982
1976–77
Leeds (9)
16–7
Widnes
80,871
1977–78
Leeds (10)
14–12
St Helens
96,000
1978–79
Widnes (5)
12–3
Wakefield Trinity
94,218
1979–80
Hull Kingston Rovers
10–5
Hull FC
95,000
1980–81
Widnes (6)
18–9
Hull Kingston Rovers
92,496
1981–82
Hull FC
14–14
Widnes
92,147
Hull FC (2)
18–9 (R)
Widnes
Elland Road
41,171
1982–83
Featherstone Rovers (3)
14–12
Hull FC
Wembley Stadium
84,969
1983–84
Widnes (7)
19–6
Wigan
80,116
1984–85
Wigan (8)
28–24
Hull FC
97,801
1985–86
Castleford (4)
15–14
Hull Kingston Rovers
82,134
1986–87
Halifax (5)
19–18
St Helens
91,267
1987–88
Wigan (9)
32–12
Halifax
94,273
1988–89
Wigan (10)
27–0
St Helens
78,000
1989–90
Wigan ‡ (11)
36–14
Warrington
77,729
1990–91
Wigan ‡ (12)
13–8
St Helens
75,532
1991–92
Wigan § (13)
28–12
Castleford
77,386
1992–93
Wigan ‡ (14)
20–14
Widnes
77,684
1993–94
Wigan # (15)
26–16
Leeds
78,348
1994–95
Wigan § (16)
30–10
Leeds
78,550
1996
St Helens ‡ (6)
40–32
Bradford
75,994
1997
St Helens (7)
32–22
Bradford
78,022
1998
Sheffield
17–8
Wigan
60,669
1999
Leeds (11)
52–16
London
73,242
2000
Bradford (4)
24–18
Leeds
Murrayfield
67,247
2001
St Helens (8)
13–6
Bradford
Twickenham
68,250
2002
Wigan (17)
21–12
St Helens
Murrayfield
62,140
2003
Bradford # (5)
22–20
Leeds
Millennium Stadium
71,212
2004
St Helens (9)
32–16
Wigan
73,734
2005
Hull F.C. (3)
25–24
Leeds
74,213
2006
St Helens # (10)
42–12
Huddersfield
Twickenham
65,187
2007
St Helens (11)
30–8
Catalans
Wembley Stadium
84,241
2008
St Helens (12)
28–16
Hull F.C.
82,821
2009
Warrington (6)
25–16
Huddersfield
76,560
2010
Warrington (7)
30–6
Leeds
85,217
2011
Wigan (18)
28–18
Leeds
78,482
2012
Warrington (8)
35–18
Leeds
79,180
2013
Wigan ‡ (19)
16–0
Hull F.C.
78,137
2014
Leeds (12)
23–10
Castleford
77,914
2015
Leeds § (13)
50–0
Hull Kingston Rovers
80,140
2016
Hull F.C. (4)
12–10
Warrington
76,235
2017
Hull F.C. (5)
18–14
Wigan
68,525
2018
Catalans
20–14
Warrington
50,672
2019
Warrington (9)
18–4
St Helens
62,717
2020
Leeds (14)
17–16
Salford
0[ a]
2021
St Helens ‡ (13)
26–12
Castleford
40,000[ b]
2022
Wigan (20)
16–14
Huddersfield
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
51,628
2023
Leigh (3)
17–16*
Hull Kingston Rovers
Wembley Stadium
58,213
2024
Wigan (21)
18-8
Warrington
64,845
Notes
^ The 2020 final was played behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 Pandemic .
^ The 2021 final was played in front of a restricted crowd of 40,000 due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Results by club
Team
Winners
Runners-up
Years won
Wigan Warriors
21
13
1924, 1929, 1948, 1951, 1958, 1959, 1965, 1985, 1988, 1989,
1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2011, 2013, 2022, 2024
Leeds Rhinos
14
12
1910, 1923, 1932, 1936, 1941, 1942, 1957, 1968, 1977, 1978,
1999, 2014, 2015, 2020
St Helens
13
10
1956, 1961, 1966, 1972, 1976, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2006,
2007, 2008, 2021
Warrington Wolves
9
1905, 1907, 1950, 1954, 1974, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2019
Widnes Vikings
7
6
1930, 1937, 1964, 1975, 1979, 1981, 1984
Huddersfield Giants
6
5
1913, 1915, 1920, 1933, 1945, 1953
Hull FC
5
12
1914, 1982, 2005, 2016, 2017
Halifax
7
1903, 1904, 1931, 1939, 1987
Bradford Bulls
6
1944, 1947, 1949, 2000, 2003
Wakefield Trinity
3
1909, 1946, 1960, 1962, 1963
Castleford Tigers
4
3
1935, 1969, 1970, 1986
Oldham
3
4
1899, 1925, 1927
Swinton Lions
2
1900, 1926, 1928
Featherstone Rovers
1967, 1973, 1983
Batley Bulldogs
0
1897, 1898, 1901
Leigh Leopards
1921, 1971, 2023
Hunslet
2
2
1908, 1934
Dewsbury Rams
1
1912, 1943
Broughton Rangers §
0
1902, 1911
Salford Red Devils
1
7
1938
Hull Kingston Rovers
1980
Barrow Raiders
4
1955
Workington Town
2
1952
Bradford FC §
1
1906
Catalans Dragons ±
2018
Rochdale Hornets
0
1922
Sheffield Eagles
1998
York
0
1
–
Keighley Cougars
London Broncos
§ Denotes club now defunct
± Denotes a non-English club.
Venues
Current venue
Pre-match at the 2014 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium
Teams walk out during the 2006 Challenge Cup Final at Twickenham Stadium
During the 2022 Challenge Cup Final at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
The Challenge Cup final has been held at 12 neutral venues.
Venue
Location
Capacity
Last Use
Wembley Stadium (Original)
Wembley , London
82,000
2000
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham , London
82,000
2006
Millennium Stadium
Cardiff , South Glamorgan
74,500
2005
Murrayfield Stadium
Edinburgh , Midlothian
67,144
2002
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Tottenham , London
62,850
2022
Athletic Grounds
Rochdale , Greater Manchester
41,831
1926
Fartown
Huddersfield , West Yorkshire
35,000
1945
Thrum Hall
Halifax , West Yorkshire
29,000
1914
Watersheddings
Oldham , Greater Manchester
28,000
1942
Odsal
Bradford , West Yorkshire
27,500
1915
Headingley
Leeds , West Yorkshire
21,500
1925
Wheater's Field
Broughton , Greater Manchester
20,000
1921
Central Park
Wigan , Greater Manchester
18,000
1944
Fallowfield
Manchester , Greater Manchester
15,000
1900
Belle Vue
Wakefield , West Yorkshire
12,600
1923
The Willows
Weaste , Greater Manchester
11,363
1911
Crown Flatt (Old Ground)
Dewsbury , West Yorkshire
10,000
1943
Replay venues
In the event of a draw a replay will be played at a neutral venue. There have been three replays.
See also
References
External links
Years Finals (List )
1961–62 · 1962–63 · 1963–64 · 1964–65 · 1965–66 · 1966–67 · 1967–68
1968 -69
1969–70 · 1970–71
2001–02 · 2002–03 · 2003–04 · 2004–05 · 2005–06 · 2006–07
2007 –08
2008 –09
2009 –10
2010 –11
2021 –22
2022 –23
2023 –24
2024 –25
2025–26 · 2026–27 · 2027–28 · 2028–29 · 2029–30 · 2030–31
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