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
| ‡ | Winning team won the Double (League title and Challenge Cup) |
| † | Winning team won the Domestic Treble |
| § | Winning team won All Four Cups |
| (replay) | Replay |
| (G.P.) | Match went to Golden point |
- (In bracket, title count):
| Season | Champions (number of titles) | Score | Runners up | Venue | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1896–97 | Batley (1) | 10–3 | St Helens | Headingley | 13,492 |
| 1897–98 | Batley (2) | 7–0 | Bradford F.C. | 27,941 | |
| 1898–99 | Oldham (1) | 19–9 | Hunslet | Fallowfield | 15,763 |
| 1899–00 | Swinton (1) | 16–8 | Salford | 17,864 | |
| 1900–01 | Batley (3) | 6–0 | Warrington | Headingley | 29,563 |
| 1901–02 | Broughton Rangers (1) ‡ | 25–0 | Salford | Athletic Ground | 15,006 |
| 1902–03 | Halifax (1) ‡ | 7–0 | Salford | Headingley | 32,507 |
| 1903–04 | Halifax (2) | 8–3 | Warrington | The Willows | 17,041 |
| 1904–05 | Warrington (1) | 6–0 | Hull Kingston Rovers | Headingley | 19,638 |
| 1905–06 | Bradford F.C. (1) | 5–0 | Salford | 15,834 | |
| 1906–07 | Warrington (2) | 17–3 | Oldham | Wheater's Field | 18,500 |
| 1907–08 | Hunslet (1) § | 14–0 | Hull F.C. | Fartown | 18,000 |
| 1908–09 | Wakefield Trinity (1) | 17–0 | Hull F.C. | Headingley | 23,587 |
| 1909–10 | Leeds | 7–7 | Hull F.C. | Fartown | 19,413 |
| Leeds (1) | 26–12 (replay) | Hull F.C. | 11,608 | ||
| 1910–11 | Broughton Rangers (2) | 4–0 | Wigan | The Willows | 8,000 |
| 1911–12 | Dewsbury (1) | 8–5 | Oldham | Headingley | 15,271 |
| 1912–13 | Huddersfield (1) † | 9–5 | Warrington | 22,754 | |
| 1913–14 | Hull F.C. (1) | 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 (1) | 13–0 | Halifax | Wheater's Field | 25,000 |
| 1921–22 | Rochdale (1) | 10–9 | Hull F.C. | Headingley | 32,596 |
| 1922–23 | Leeds (2) | 28–3 | Hull F.C. | Belle Vue | 29,335 |
| 1923–24 | Wigan (1) | 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 (Original) | 41,500 |
| 1929–30 | Widnes (1) | 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 (Original) | 41,874 |
| 1933–34 | Hunslet (2) | 11–5 | Widnes | 41,280 | |
| 1934–35 | Castleford (1) | 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 (1) | 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 (2) | 16–9 | Leeds | Crown Flatt | 10,470 |
| 0–6 | Headingley | 16,000 | |||
| 1943–44 | Bradford (1) | 3–0 | Wigan | Central Park | 22,000 |
| 8–0 | Odsal | 30,000 | |||
| 1944–45 | Huddersfield (5) | 7–4 | Bradford | Fartown | 9,041 |
| 6–5 | Odsal | 17,500 | |||
| 1945–46 | Wakefield Trinity (2) | 13–12 | Wigan | Wembley Stadium (Original) | 54,730 |
| 1946–47 | Bradford (2) | 8–4 | Leeds | 77,605 | |
| 1947–48 | Wigan (3) | 8–3 | Bradford | 91,465 | |
| 1948–49 | Bradford (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 (1) | 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 (replay) | Halifax | Odsal | 102,569 | |
| 1954–55 | Barrow (1) | 21–12 | Workington Town | Wembley Stadium (Original) | 66,513 |
| 1955–56 | St Helens (1) | 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 F.C. | 79,811 | |
| 1959–60 | Wakefield Trinity (3) | 38–5 | Hull F.C. | 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 (1) | 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 | 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 (1) | 10–5 | Hull F.C. | 95,000 | |
| 1980–81 | Widnes (6) | 18–9 | Hull Kingston Rovers | 92,496 | |
| 1981–82 | Hull F.C. | 14–14 | Widnes | 92,147 | |
| Hull F.C. (2) | 18–9 (replay) | Widnes | Elland Road | 41,171 | |
| 1982–83 | Featherstone Rovers (3) | 14–12 | Hull F.C. | Wembley Stadium (Original) | 84,969 |
| 1983–84 | Widnes (7) | 19–6 | Wigan | 80,116 | |
| 1984–85 | Wigan (8) | 28–24 | Hull F.C. | 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 (1) | 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 (18) ‡ | 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 (1) | 20–14 | Warrington | 50,672 | |
| 2019 | Warrington (9) | 18–4 | St Helens | 62,717 | |
| 2020 | Leeds (14) | 17–16 | Salford | 0 | |
| 2021 | St Helens (13) ‡ | 26–12 | Castleford | 40,000 | |
| 2022 | Wigan (20) | 16–14 | Huddersfield | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium | 51,628 |
| 2023 | Leigh (3) | 17–16 (G.P.) | Hull Kingston Rovers | Wembley Stadium | 58,213 |
| 2024 | Wigan (21) § | 18–8 | Warrington | 64,845 | |
| 2025 | Hull Kingston Rovers (2) † | 8–6 | Warrington | 63,278 |
- 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 | 12 | 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 | 12 | 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 | ||
| Hull Kingston Rovers | 2 | 7 | 1980, 2025 |
| Hunslet | 2 | 1908, 1934 | |
| Dewsbury Rams | 1 | 1912, 1943 | |
| Broughton Rangers § | 0 | 1902, 1911 | |
| Salford Red Devils | 1 | 7 | 1938 |
| 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
| Date | Venue | Location | Capacity |
| 2007–2021; 2023– | Wembley Stadium | Wembley, London | 90,000 |
Former venues
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.
| Year | Venue | Location | Capacity |
| 1909-10 | Fartown | Huddersfield, West Yorkshire | 35,000 |
| 1953-54 | Odsal | Bradford, West Yorkshire | 27,500 |
| 1981-82 | Elland Road | Leeds, West Yorkshire | 39,000 |
See also
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