This week sees the Challenge Cup semi-finals take place, with Wigan Warriors, Hull KR, Warrington Wolves and Huddersfield Giants aiming to book their place at Wembley.

It’s the second year in a row the final will be at Wembley, having left the iconic national stadium for a year at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2022.

For those teams, players and fans that attended that final, the feedback was exemplary, with those involved for Wigan and Huddersfield that day giving nothing but praise for the way the event was staged at the new venue.

However, despite that, the final returned to Wembley last year and will again be there this year. Though steeped in Challenge Cup history and for many still the greatest stadium in the country, there are murmurs the event may be moved away from Wembley again in the future.

If that does happen, we have listed five potential grounds where the Challenge Cup Final could be held in the future to help bring the competition back to life and make reaching the final the ultimate for those teams and players competing.

Five future Challenge Cup Final venues

Etihad Stadium

A former Magic Weekend venue, the Etihad Stadium is not used for rugby league as much as some people think it should be. Home of Premier League Champions Manchester City, the impressive ground in close to home and holds an attendance of 53,400.

That capacity is around the average of the final attendance over the last two years, albeit that has been in London, but rugby league perhaps needs to put its focus back on filling a ground. It’s hard to remember the last time a major rugby league event has sold out weeks before the actual event.

Some would argue this would favour the fans and players of a Lancashire team if it was a Lancashire-Yorkshire final, however, it is not different to the Super League Grand Final which is at Old Trafford. The Etihad ticks many boxes for a new home for the Challenge Cup Final, having successful hosted Magic Weekend between 2012 and 2014.

Everton Stadium

With a similar capacity to the Etihad, Everton Football Club’s new stadium ‘Everton Stadium’ is currently in the making and a potential new home for major rugby league events. Under construction as we speak on Bramley-Moore Dock in Vauxhall, the ground will hold just short of 53,000 and will be completed ahead of the 2025-26 football season.

The pros here are very similar to that of the Etihad, with rugby league having recent history in Liverpool with the Magic Weekend held there in 2019, having hosted an international Test between England and New Zealand a year earlier.

Everton Stadium has that fresh attraction, it looks the part and will be an exciting venue for the final. The first final in particular will spark an interest, with those competing having the added motivation of potentially being the first team and the first players to play a rugby league match at this ground.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Already mentioned above, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium successfully hosted the 2022 Challenge Cup Final between Wigan Warriors and Huddersfield Giants. The event received rave reviews from those that attended, with the atmosphere, service and surrounding areas all plus points on a great day.

Interestingly, we have not been back since and many who were involved that day have questioned why. Huddersfield star Sam Halsall was on The Bench podcast recently and suggested the Cup Final should move away from Wembley after he and his Giants teammates experienced the incredible atmosphere at Tottenham.

There is no doubts rugby league matches will be held at this ground in the future, but with the facilities and reviews from those that attended in 2022, there is an argument to suggest the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium should become the regular home of a rugby league event. It appears that out of the three major days out on the rugby league calendar, it makes most sense to have the Challenge Cup Final there.

Camp Nou

The world famous Camp Nou, home of Football Club Barcelona, hosted a Super League game in 2019 when Catalans Dragons played Wigan Warriors. Playing in a special shirt designed in the image of the Barcelona football team, Catalans produced an inspired performance to win 33-16 and impress the locals attending a rugby league match for the first time.

Perhaps what was more impressive was the crowd of 31,555, a record for a regular round Super League game. It is, with that in mind, somewhat perplexing that we haven’t returned to played a rugby league game in any variation at the venue since. The stadium is currently under construction, with it set to receive a modern look and an increased capacity of a staggering 105,000.

Hosting the Challenge Cup Final there would bring out the locals, especially if Catalans got there, and would see a huge contingent travel, both of the teams competing in the final and neutral fans. The new 105,000 capacity would make it impossible to fill, but there is no reason why fans couldn’t flock there for the biggest game of the season and fill at least half of this magnificent stadium.

Santiago Bernabéu Stadium

A wildcard choice, but the renovation of the Bernabéu takes the breath away and taking the Challenge Cup Final there would certainly be headline-grabbing. Home of the world’s most famous football team, Real Madrid, the Bernabéu is steeped in history.

This would be a huge risk. Travel and access are unknown, but Madrid is the capital of Spain, a country with rugby league potential, and a successful Challenge Cup Final there could kickstart something very special.

The 85,000 capacity would be a challenge, but two big teams at the showpiece event could see a healthy crowd show up, along with some strong local marketing, it could turn into an event to remember. Then who knows, rugby league’s next expansion team could then be born out of the Spanish capital. We can all dream!