Challenge Cup Final day is here! Later today, Hull KR and Wigan Warriors will lock horns and battle it out to earn the first trophy of the 2026 league season.
The Robins, who have already won the World Club Challenge this year, will be looking to add yet another piece of silverware to their cabinet, and if they do it would be their fifth trophy in a row that they have come away with.
Wigan, meanwhile, are looking to put an end to KR’s successful streak, and are hoping to get revenge from the 2025 Grand Final, where Rovers found another level to defeat Matt Peet’s side 24-6.
As well as that, Wigan’s women’s side will take on St Helens in their Challenge Cup Final. That game is a repeat of last year’s Final, with the Warriors looking to be as dominant as they were 12 months ago and claim yet another trophy.
A crowd of just over 60,000 is expected to be in attendance this afternoon, as one of the biggest games on the rugby league calendar takes place.
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Everything you need to know about the Challenge Cup Final
Where can I watch the Challenge Cup Final?
Both of today’s games will be broadcast live on the BBC. The Women’s game (KO: 11:45am) will be shown live on BBC Two, with the broadcast starting at 11:15am.
For the men’s game, BBC One is where you need to go to watch that, with coverage starting at 2:00pm before a 3:00pm kick-off.
Who is the referee?
For the second year running, Liam Moore will take charge of the Men’s Final. It will be the fourth Wembley Final he has officiated, having also done so in 2020 and 2021. Chris Kendall will be the video referee.
Liam’s younger brother, Aaron, will take charge of the Women’s Final, in what will be the third consecutive year he has taken charge of that game. Liam Rush will be the video referee.
Who are the favourites?
There is very little to separate the two sides, and that is reflected in the bookmakers’ odds ahead of the game.
At the time of writing, Challenge Cup title sponsors, Betfred, have Hull KR as the favourites, sitting at 4/5, with Wigan priced at 6/5 – showing there is precious little between either side.
As for the Lance Todd trophy – the award for the Player of the Match – Robins half-back Mikey Lewis is the favourite (4/1), with Bevan French labelled at (6/1).
Have the teams been confirmed?
The final 17s of each side won’t be released until 90 minutes before the respective kick-offs, but we do know both Wigan and Hull KR’s 21-man squads.
Released on Thursday, both sides made changes following their game last week, and the teams are as follows:
Wigan Warriors: Jai Field, Zach Eckersley, Adam Keighran, Jake Wardle, Bevan French, Harry Smith, Ethan Havard, Brad O’Neill, Luke Thompson, Junior Nsemba, Liam Farrell, Kaide Ellis, Sam Walters, Patrick Mago, Oliver Partington, Jack Farrimond, Sam Eseh, Tom Forber, Kian McDermott, Taylor Kerr, Noah Hodkinson
Hull KR: Tom Davies, Peta Hiku, Oliver Gildart, Joe Burgess, Mikey Lewis, Tyrone May, Sauaso Sue, Jez Litten, Tom Amone, Dean Hadley, James Batchelor, Elliot Minchella, Jack Broadbent, Sam Luckley, Jai Whitbread, Rhyse Martin, Jack Brown, Karl Lawton, Jordan Dezaria, Noah Booth, Bill Leyland
