Reports: Challenge Cup to be redrawn with only 10 teams

The 2020 Challenge Cup is set to continue with a new draw and only 10 teams, Hull Live have reported.

Sixteen teams remained in the competition prior to the season suspension, but that number is dwindling by the day after York became the latest team to withdraw.

They join Toronto and Sheffield in pulling out of this season’s Challenge Cup and with the Championship and League One seasons declared null and void, it’s expected the three other lower league teams will follow suit.

Featherstone Rovers, Widnes Vikings and Newcastle Thunder are the remaining non-Super League clubs in the competition, however player welfare could be a defining factor in their decision to withdraw.

The next round of the Challenge Cup is due to be played three weeks into the Super League season resumption (August 22 and 23), however that will be over five months since the last competitive fixture for any Championship or League One team.

Sheffield cited the RFL’s lack of support for non-Super League teams as their main reason for withdrawing, claiming they would miss out on significant revenue and their players risked serious injury by competing.

Hull Live’s report states that there is still a strong desire from the RFL, Super League clubs, broadcast partners and title sponsor Coral to hold the Cup this year.

As a result, the 10 Super League teams could enter into a new sixth round draw that will produce only two ties and hand six teams a bye to the quarter-finals.

It’s believed this was one of the main topics of discussion in last night’s RFL meeting, with this potential outcome helping to avoid fixture congestion while producing a recognisable last eight format.