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. In 2015 Leeds beat Hull Kingston Rovers 50–0 in the biggest win in Challenge Cup history.
List of Finals
Season | Premiers | Score | Runners-up | Referee | Venue | Attendance | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Challenge Cup | |||||||
1896–97 | ![]() |
10 – 3 | ![]() |
Headingley | 13,492 | 24 April 1897 | |
1897–98 | ![]() |
7 – 0 | Bradford FC | Headingley | 27,941 | 23 April 1898 | |
1898–99 | ![]() |
19 – 9 | ![]() |
Fallowfield | 15,763 | 29 April 1899 | |
1899–1900 | ![]() |
16 – 8 | ![]() |
Fallowfield | 17,864 | 28 April 1900 | |
1900–01 | ![]() |
6 – 0 | ![]() |
Headingley | 29,563 | 27 April 1901 | |
1901–02 | Broughton Rangers | 25 – 0 | ![]() |
Athletic | 15,006 | 26 April 1902 | |
1902–03 | ![]() |
7 – 0 | ![]() |
Headingley | 32,507 | 25 April 1903 | |
1903–04 | ![]() |
8 – 3 | ![]() |
The Willows | 17,041 | 30 April 1904 | |
1904–05 | ![]() |
6 – 0 | ![]() |
Headingley | 19,638 | 25 April 1905 | |
1905–06 | Bradford FC | 5 – 0 | ![]() |
Headingley | 15,834 | 28 April 1906 | |
1906–07 | ![]() |
17 – 3 | ![]() |
Wheater's Field | 18,500 | 27 April 1907 | |
1907–08 | ![]() |
14 – 0 | ![]() |
Fartown | 18,000 | 25 April 1908 | |
1908–09 | ![]() |
17 – 0 | ![]() |
Headingley | 23,587 | 24 April 1909 | |
1909–10 | ![]() |
7 – 7 | ![]() |
Fartown | 19,413 | 16 April 1910 | |
![]() |
26 – 12 | ![]() |
Fartown | 11,608 | 18 April 1910 | ||
1910–11 | Broughton Rangers (2) | 4 – 0 | ![]() |
The Willows | 8,000 | 29 April 1911 | |
1911–12 | ![]() |
8 – 5 | ![]() |
Headingley | 15,271 | 27 April 1912 | |
1912–13 | ![]() |
9 – 5 | ![]() |
Headingley | 22,754 | 26 April 1913 | |
1913–14 | ![]() |
6 – 0 | ![]() |
Thrum Hall | 19,000 | 18 April 1914 | |
1914–15 | ![]() |
37 – 3 | ![]() |
Watersheddings | 8,000 | 1 May 1915 | |
1919–20 | ![]() |
21 – 10 | ![]() |
Headingley | 14,000 | 10 April 1920 | |
1920–21 | ![]() |
13 – 0 | ![]() |
Wheater's Field | 25,000 | 30 April 1921 | |
1921–22 | ![]() |
10 – 9 | ![]() |
Headingley | 32,596 | 29 April 1922 | |
1922–23 | ![]() |
28 – 3 | ![]() |
Belle Vue | 29,335 | 28 April 1923 | |
1923–24 | ![]() |
21 – 4 | ![]() |
Athletic | 41,831 | 12 April 1924 | |
1924–25 | ![]() |
16 – 3 | ![]() |
Headingley | 28,335 | 25 April 1925 | |
1925–26 | ![]() |
9 – 3 | ![]() |
Athletic | 27,000 | 1 May 1926 | |
1926–27 | ![]() |
26 – 7 | ![]() |
Central Park | 33,448 | 7 May 1927 | |
1927–28 | ![]() |
5 – 3 | ![]() |
Central Park | 33,909 | 14 April 1928 | |
1928–29 | ![]() |
13 – 2 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 41,500 | 4 May 1929 | |
1929–30 | ![]() |
10 – 3 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 36,544 | 3 May 1930 | |
1930–31 | ![]() |
22 – 8 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 40,365 | 2 May 1931 | |
1931–32 | ![]() |
11 – 8 | ![]() |
Central Park | 29,000 | 9 April 1932 | |
1932–33 | ![]() |
21 – 17 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 41,874 | 6 May 1933 | |
1933–34 | ![]() |
11 – 5 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 41,280 | 5 May 1934 | |
1934–35 | ![]() |
11 – 8 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 39,000 | 4 May 1935 | |
1935–36 | ![]() |
18 – 2 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 51,250 | 18 April 1936 | |
1936–37 | ![]() |
18 – 5 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 47,699 | 8 May 1937 | |
1937–38 | ![]() |
7 – 4 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 51,243 | 7 May 1938 | |
1938–39 | ![]() |
20 – 3 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 55,453 | 9 May 1939 | |
1940–41 | ![]() |
19 – 2 | ![]() |
Odsal | 28,500 | 17 May 1941 | |
1941–42 | ![]() |
15 – 10 | ![]() |
Odsal | 15,250 | 6 June 1942 | |
1942–43 | ![]() |
16 – 9 | ![]() |
Crown Flatt | 10,470 | 24 April 1943 | |
![]() |
0 – 6 | ![]() |
Headingley | 16,000 | 26 April 1943 | ||
1943–44 | ![]() |
3 – 0 | ![]() |
Central Park | 22,000 | 15 April 1944 | |
![]() |
8 – 0 | ![]() |
Odsal | 30,000 | 22 April 1944 | ||
1944–45 | ![]() |
7 – 4 | ![]() |
Fartown | 9,041 | 28 April 1945 | |
![]() |
6 – 5 | ![]() |
Odsal | 17,500 | 5 May 1945 | ||
1945–46 | ![]() |
13 – 12 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 54,730 | 4 May 1946 | |
1946–47 | ![]() |
8 – 4 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 77,605 | 3 May 1947 | |
1947–48 | ![]() |
8 – 3 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 91,465 | 1 May 1948 | |
1948–49 | ![]() |
12 – 0 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 95,050 | 7 May 1949 | |
1949–50 | ![]() |
19 – 0 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 94,249 | 6 May 1950 | |
1950–51 | ![]() |
10 – 0 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 94,262 | 5 May 1951 | |
1951–52 | ![]() |
18 – 10 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 72,093 | 19 April 1952 | |
1952–53 | ![]() |
15 – 10 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 89,588 | 25 April 1953 | |
1953–54 | ![]() |
4 – 4 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 81,841 | 24 April 1954 | |
![]() |
8 – 4 | ![]() |
Odsal | 102,569 | 5 May 1954 | ||
1954–55 | ![]() |
21 – 12 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 66,513 | 30 April 1955 | |
1955–56 | ![]() |
13 – 2 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 79,341 | 28 April 1956 | |
1956–57 | ![]() |
9 – 7 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 76,318 | 11 May 1957 | |
1957–58 | ![]() |
13 – 9 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 66,109 | 10 May 1958 | |
1958–59 | ![]() |
30 – 13 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 79,811 | 9 May 1959 | |
1959–60 | ![]() |
38 – 5 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 79,773 | 14 May 1960 | |
1960–61 | ![]() |
12 – 6 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 94,672 | 13 May 1961 | |
1961–62 | ![]() |
12 – 6 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 81,263 | 12 May 1962 | |
1962–63 | ![]() |
25 – 10 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 84,492 | 11 May 1963 | |
1963–64 | ![]() |
13 – 5 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 84,488 | 9 May 1964 | |
1964–65 | ![]() |
20 – 16 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 89,016 | 8 May 1965 | |
1965–66 | ![]() |
21 – 2 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 98,536 | 21 May 1966 | |
1966–67 | ![]() |
17 – 12 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 76,290 | 13 May 1967 | |
1967–68 | ![]() |
11 – 10 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 87,100 | 11 May 1968 | |
1968–69 | ![]() |
11 – 6 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 97,939 | 17 May 1969 | |
1969–70 | ![]() |
7 – 2 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 95,255 | 9 May 1970 | |
1970–71 | ![]() |
24 – 7 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 85,514 | 15 May 1971 | |
1971–72 | ![]() |
16 – 13 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 89,495 | 13 May 1972 | |
1972–73 | ![]() |
33 – 14 | ![]() |
M. Naughton | Wembley Stadium | 72,395 | 12 May 1973 |
1973–74 | ![]() |
24 – 9 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 77,400 | 11 May 1974 | |
1974–75 | ![]() |
14 – 7 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 85,098 | 10 May 1975 | |
1975–76 | ![]() |
20 – 5 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 89,982 | 8 May 1976 | |
1976–77 | ![]() |
16 – 7 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 80,871 | 7 May 1977 | |
1977–78 | ![]() |
14 – 12 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 96,000 | 13 May 1978 | |
1978–79 | ![]() |
12 – 3 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 94,218 | 5 May 1979 | |
1979–80 | ![]() |
10 – 5 | ![]() |
Wembley Stadium | 95,000 | 3 May 1980 | |
1980–81 | ![]() |
18 – 9 | ![]() |
G. Kershaw | Wembley Stadium | 92,496 | 2 May 1981 |
1981–82 | ![]() |
14 – 14 | ![]() |
F. Lindop | Wembley Stadium | 92,147 | 1 May 1982 |
![]() |
18 – 9 | ![]() |
F. Lindop | Elland Road | 41,171 | 19 May 1982 | |
1982–83 | ![]() |
14 – 12 | ![]() |
R. Whitfield | Wembley Stadium | 84,969 | 7 May 1983 |
1983–84 | ![]() |
19 – 6 | ![]() |
B. Thompson | Wembley Stadium | 80,116 | 5 May 1984 |
1984–85 | ![]() |
28 – 24 | ![]() |
R. Campbell | Wembley Stadium | 97,801 | 4 May 1985 |
1985–86 | ![]() |
15 – 14 | ![]() |
R. Whitfield | Wembley Stadium | 82,134 | 3 May 1986 |
1986–87 | ![]() |
19 – 18 | ![]() |
J. Holdsworth | Wembley Stadium | 91,267 | 2 May 1987 |
1987–88 | ![]() |
32 – 12 | ![]() |
F. Lindop | Wembley Stadium | 94,273 | 30 April 1988 |
1988–89 | ![]() |
27 – 0 | ![]() |
R. Tennant | Wembley Stadium | 78,000 | 29 April 1989 |
1989–90 | ![]() |
36 – 14 | ![]() |
J. Holdsworth | Wembley Stadium | 77,729 | 28 April 1990 |
1990–91 | ![]() |
13 – 8 | ![]() |
J. Smith | Wembley Stadium | 75,532 | 27 April 1991 |
1991–92 | ![]() |
28 – 12 | ![]() |
R. Whitfield | Wembley Stadium | 77,386 | 2 May 1992 |
1992–93 | ![]() |
20 – 14 | ![]() |
R. Smith | Wembley Stadium | 77,684 | 1 May 1993 |
1993–94 | ![]() |
26 – 16 | ![]() |
R. Campbell | Wembley Stadium | 78,348 | 30 April 1994 |
1994–95 | ![]() |
30 – 10 | ![]() |
R. Smith | Wembley Stadium | 78,550 | 29 April 1995 |
1996 | ![]() |
40 – 32 | ![]() |
S. Cummings | Wembley Stadium | 75,994 | 27 April 1996 |
1997 | ![]() |
32 – 22 | ![]() |
S. Cummings | Wembley Stadium | 78,022 | 3 May 1997 |
1998 | ![]() |
17 – 8 | ![]() |
S. Cummings | Wembley Stadium | 60,669 | 2 May 1998 |
1999 | ![]() |
52 – 16 | ![]() |
R. Smith | Wembley Stadium | 73,242 | 1 May 1999 |
2000 | ![]() |
24 – 18 | ![]() |
S. Presley | Murrayfield Stadium | 67,247 | 29 April 2000 |
2001 | ![]() |
13 – 6 | ![]() |
R. Smith | Twickenham Stadium | 68,250 | 28 April 2001 |
2002 | ![]() |
21 – 12 | ![]() |
S. Cummings | Murrayfield Stadium | 62,140 | 27 April 2002 |
2003 | ![]() |
22 – 20 | ![]() |
R. Smith | Millennium Stadium | 71,212 | 26 April 2003 |
2004 | ![]() |
32 – 16 | ![]() |
K. Kirkpatrick | Millennium Stadium | 73,734 | 15 May 2004 |
2005 | ![]() |
25 – 24 | ![]() |
S. Ganson | Millennium Stadium | 74,213 | 27 August 2005 |
2006 | ![]() |
42 – 12 | ![]() |
R. Silverwood | Twickenham Stadium | 65,187 | 26 August 2006 |
2007 | ![]() |
30 – 8 | ![]() |
A. Klein | Wembley Stadium | 84,241 | 25 August 2007 |
2008 | ![]() |
28 – 16 | ![]() |
S. Ganson | Wembley Stadium | 82,821 | 30 August 2008 |
2009 | ![]() |
25 – 16 | ![]() |
S. Ganson | Wembley Stadium | 76,560 | 29 August 2009 |
2010 | ![]() |
30 – 6 | ![]() |
R. Silverwood | Wembley Stadium | 85,217 | 28 August 2010 |
2011 | ![]() |
28 – 18 | ![]() |
P. Bentham | Wembley Stadium | 78,482 | 27 August 2011 |
2012 | ![]() |
35 – 18 | ![]() |
R. Silverwood | Wembley Stadium | 79,180 | 25 August 2012 |
2013 | ![]() |
16 – 0 | ![]() |
P. Bentham | Wembley Stadium | 78,137 | 24 August 2013 |
2014 | ![]() |
23 – 10 | ![]() |
P. Bentham | Wembley Stadium | 77,914 | 23 August 2014 |
2015 | ![]() |
50 – 0 | ![]() |
B. Thaler | Wembley Stadium | 80,140 | 29 August 2015 |
2016 | ![]() |
12 – 10 | ![]() |
G. Hewer | Wembley Stadium | 76,235 | 27 August 2016 |
2017 | ![]() |
18 – 14 | ![]() |
P. Bentham | Wembley Stadium | 68,525 | 26 August 2017 |
2018 | ![]() |
20 – 14 | ![]() |
R. Hicks | Wembley Stadium | 50,672 | 25 August 2018 |
2019 | ![]() |
18 – 4 | ![]() |
R. Hicks | Wembley Stadium | 62,717 | 24 August 2019 |
2020 | ![]() |
17 – 16 | ![]() |
L. Moore | Wembley Stadium | Behind closed doors | 17 October 2020 |
2021 | ![]() |
26 – 12 | ![]() |
L. Moore | Wembley Stadium | 40,000 (Restricted attendance) |
17 July 2021 |
Results by club
Team | Winners | Runners-up | Years won | Years runner-up |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
19 | 12 | 1924, 1929, 1948, 1951, 1958, 1959, 1965, 1985, 1988, 1989,
1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2011, 2013 |
1911, 1920, 1944, 1946, 1961, 1963, 1966, 1970, 1984, 1998,
2004, 2017 |
![]() |
14 | 12 | 1910, 1923, 1932, 1936, 1941, 1942, 1957, 1968, 1977, 1978,
1999, 2014, 2015, 2020 |
1943, 1947, 1971, 1972, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2010,
2011, 2012 |
![]() |
13 | 10 | 1956, 1961, 1966, 1972, 1976, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2006,
2007, 2008, 2021 |
1897, 1915, 1930, 1953, 1978, 1987, 1989, 1991, 2002, 2019 |
![]() |
9 | 10 | 1905, 1907, 1950, 1954, 1974, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2019 | 1901, 1904, 1913, 1928, 1933, 1936, 1975, 1990, 2016, 2018 |
![]() |
7 | 6 | 1930, 1937, 1964, 1975, 1979, 1981, 1984 | 1934, 1950, 1976, 1977, 1982, 1993 |
![]() |
6 | 3 | 1913, 1915, 1920, 1933, 1945, 1953 | 1962, 2006, 2009 |
![]() |
5 | 12 | 1914, 1982, 2005, 2016, 2017 | 1908, 1909, 1910, 1922, 1923, 1959, 1960, 1980, 1983, 1985,
2008, 2013 |
![]() |
5 | 7 | 1903, 1904, 1931, 1939, 1987 | 1921, 1941, 1942, 1949, 1954, 1956, 1988 |
![]() |
5 | 6 | 1944, 1947, 1949, 2000, 2003 | 1945, 1948, 1973, 1996, 1997, 2001 |
![]() |
5 | 3 | 1909, 1946, 1960, 1962, 1963 | 1914, 1968, 1979 |
![]() |
4 | 3 | 1935, 1969, 1970, 1986 | 1992, 2014, 2021 |
![]() |
3 | 4 | 1899, 1925, 1927 | 1907, 1912, 1924, 1926 |
![]() |
3 | 2 | 1900, 1926, 1928 | 1927, 1932 |
![]() |
3 | 2 | 1967, 1973, 1983 | 1952, 1974 |
![]() |
3 | 0 | 1897, 1898, 1901 | – |
![]() |
2 | 2 | 1908, 1934 | 1899, 1965 |
![]() |
2 | 1 | 1912, 1943 | 1929 |
Broughton Rangers | 2 | 0 | 1902, 1911 | – |
![]() |
2 | 0 | 1921, 1971 | – |
![]() |
1 | 7 | 1938 | 1900, 1902, 1903, 1906, 1939, 1969, 2020 |
![]() |
1 | 6 | 1980 | 1905, 1925, 1964, 1981, 1986, 2015 |
![]() |
1 | 4 | 1955 | 1938, 1951, 1957, 1967 |
![]() |
1 | 2 | 1952 | 1955, 1958 |
Bradford FC | 1 | 1 | 1906 | 1898 |
![]() |
1 | 1 | 2018 | 2007 |
![]() |
1 | 0 | 1922 | – |
![]() |
1 | 0 | 1998 | – |
![]() |
0 | 1 | – | 1931 |
![]() |
0 | 1 | – | 1937 |
![]() |
0 | 1 | – | 1999 |
Venues
Current venue
Date | Venue | Location | Capacity |
---|---|---|---|
2007-2021 | Wembley Stadium | London | 90,000 |
2022 | White Hart Lane | London | 62,850 |
2023 | Wembley Stadium | London | 90,000 |
Former venues
The Challenge Cup final has been held at 12 neutral venues.
Venue | Location | Capacity |
---|---|---|
Old Wembley | London | 82,000 |
Twickenham | London | 82,000 |
Millennium Stadium | Cardiff, Wales | 74,500 |
Murrayfield | Edinburgh, Scotland | 67,144 |
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium | London | 62,850 |
Athletic Grounds | Rochdale, Greater Manchester | 41,831 |
Fartown | Huddersfield, West Yorkshire | 35,000 |
Thrum Hall | Halifax, West Yorkshire | 29,000 |
Watersheddings | Oldham, Greater Manchester | 28,000 |
Odsal | Bradford, West Yorkshire | 27,500 |
The Cliff[1] | Broughton, Salford, Greater Manchester | 25,000 |
Headingley | Leeds, West Yorkshire | 21,500 |
Wheater's Field | Broughton, Salford, Greater Manchester | 20,000 |
Central Park | Wigan, Greater Manchester | 18,000 |
Fallowfield | Manchester, Greater Manchester | 15,000 |
Belle Vue | Wakefield, West Yorkshire | 12,600 |
The Willows | Weaste, Salford, Greater Manchester | 11,363 |
Crown Flatt old ground | Dewsbury, West Yorkshire | 10,000 |
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
References
- "Club Records". LeighRL.co.uk. Leigh Centurions Rugby League Club. Archived from the original on 14 February 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.