The details for the Challenge Cup have been confirmed, with draws for the first and second rounds to be made.
18:00, 18 Nov 2025
The Challenge Cup trophy.(Image: SW PIX)
The draw for the first and second rounds of the Challenge Cup will be made on Monday, 24 November.
The first round draw will feature community clubs, with the second round seeing all Championship clubs enter the competition. Super League sides will then be seeded to meet lower league opposition away from home in the third round.
Reintroduced to the rugby league calendar last season, all Super League sides played ties against opposition ranging from the Championship to the community game, entering at the last 32 stage. That same format will be used again.
The first round will see 34 teams from the community game competing in 17 ties, with 21 clubs from the extended Championship competition then entering in round two to create 19 ties.
The 19 winners will then join 13 Super League clubs to create a last 32. As usual, Toulouse Olympique won’t compete in the Challenge Cup.
However, unlike last year, the first and second round draws will be regionalised to increase local rivalries and reduce travel costs.
For instance, West Hull can only be drawn against a fellow Yorkshire club in the first round draw. Similarly, Thatto Heath Crusaders can only be drawn against a fellow northwest side. In the second round, the same method will apply as much as can be accommodated, with clubs split into regionalised draws.
Meanwhile, the first round draw will feature community clubs from the National Conference League, the Southern Conference, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with County Down playing in the competition for the first time.
The British Army, the Royal Air Force, and the Royal Navy will all feature, along with Great Britain Police, Telford Raiders from the Midlands, and Medway Dragons from the London ARL.
The draw will be conducted at Rugby League Headquarters in Manchester. Ross Fiddes will host the draw, with all details to be published at 4pm.
The first round will be played on the weekend of January 10-11, with the second round taking place on January 24-25. The third round will be played on the weekend of February 7/8. As first reported by All Out Rugby League, the new Super League season begins on Thursday, 12 February.
First round draw
The full list of teams in the first round draw is as follows – divided into three sections for a regionalised draw:
North West (12 teams, 6 ties) – GB Police, Seaton Rangers, Orrell St James, Haresfinch, Blackbrook, Siddal, Waterhead, Thatto Heath Crusaders, Rochdale Mayfield, Leigh Miners Rangers, Wigan St Judes, Ince Rose Bridge
Yorkshire (12 teams, 6 ties) – Woodhouse, Brighouse Rangers, Royal Air Force, King Cross Park, Mirfield Spartans, Stanningley Rangers, West Hull, Hunslet ARLFC, York Acorn, Lock Lane, Dewsbury Moor, Heworth
National (10 teams, 5 ties) – Broncos (Northern Ireland), Aberavon Fighting Irish (Wales), Bedford Tigers, Hammersmith Hills Hoists, London Chargers, Wests Warriors (Southern Conference League), British Army, Royal Navy, Medway Dragons (London ARL), Telford Raiders (Midlands)
Second round draw
The second round draw will combine 17 first-round winners with the 21 Championship clubs to produce 19 ties, which will again be regionalised as much as possible.
North West (8 teams) – Barrow Raiders, Oldham, Rochdale Hornets, Salford Red Devils, Swinton Lions, Whitehaven, Widnes Vikings, Workington Town
Yorks / North East (10 teams) – Batley Bulldogs, Dewsbury Rams, Doncaster, Featherstone Rovers, Goole Vikings, Halifax Panthers, Hunslet, Keighley Cougars, Newcastle Thunder, Sheffield Eagles
National (3 teams) – London Broncos, Midlands Hurricanes, North Wales Crusaders
