Challenge Cup set for surprise new broadcasters in 2024

2023 has been a pivotal year for rugby league on TV with a new agreement made with Sky Sports to show every game live in the 2024 season.

But things aren’t settled just yet going into 2024. There is still a decision to be made on Championship coverage as well as free to air broadcasting for Super League with BBC and Channel 4 vying for coverage.

But another key factor is the decision on who will join BBC in terms of Challenge Cup coverage. In the past two seasons, Premier Sports and then Viaplay covered four games across two rounds as part of their deal to cover the Championship.

Serious About Rugby League understands that there are plans for something similar in 2024 with whoever secures rights to the Championship.

The sport had some terrific coverage over the festive period with special documentaries about Sam Tomkins and James Roby.

Rugby League was proudly represented at this year’s Princess of Wales annual Christmas carol service, which was broadcast on ITV1 on Christmas Eve.   

HRH The Princess of Wales is Patron of the Rugby Football League, and among the 1,500 guests at Westminster Abbey were representatives from the RFL and Hull FC, who earlier this year welcomed the Princess to a celebration of inclusivity event at the club’s University of Hull-based Centre of Excellence. 

Her Royal Highness made an impressive Wheelchair Rugby League debut at Hull, under the expert guidance of England coach Tom Coyd MBE and Hull FC player-coach Mike Swainger. England Wheelchair World Cup winners Wayne Boardman, Lewis King and Tom Halliwell OBE presented her with England shirts for children George, Louis and Charlotte, and the Princess also took part in separate sessions with Hull FC’s physical and learning disability teams.  

Hull FC’s LDRL and PDRL teams were represented at Westminster Abbey by Chris and Fred Dearlove, and Carl and Joshua Woods, who won the club’s Disability Player of the Year in 2023.

Royal Carols: Together at Christmas, was broadcast at 7.45pm this Sunday. Hosted by the princess herself, Together at Christmas ties in with Catherine’s ongoing campaign in support of children and young people. The service combines the traditional and the modern, with the famous Westminster Abbey choir performing alongside singers such as Beverley Knight and Adam Lambert, who duet on Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song.  

You can still watch the event on catch up.