The Challenge Cup semi-finals take place this weekend but which of the final four boast the best record at this stage in the modern era?
Wigan Warriors are well known for being the cup kings but much of that was down to their dominance throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, with the Cherry and Whites winning it a whopping eight times in a row.
Their 21st-century fortune hasn’t been as good but five wins across the 26 finals to have taken place this millennium is still an impressive return, only bettered by their opponents this weekend St Helens.
Saints have won six albeit five of those came between 2001 and 2008 with the Red Vee winning three on the spin during that period and they’ve only won it once since.
As for the other semi-final, Hull KR have won the competition just once whilst Warrington are four-time winners since 2000 but how does each side fare in semi-finals?
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Challenge Cup semi-finalists’ final four record since 2000
Astoundingly, none of the four semi-finalists have a winning record when it comes to making it to Wembley though Wigan and Hull KR do boast a 50% win rate in semi-finals.
As for Saints and Warrington, they’ve both lost one more semi-final than they have won and for St Helens that’s a total of 17 semi-finals though their most recent was in 2023 with their last win two years earlier when they won the competition.
Wire have won seven of their 15 semi-finals but despite winning their last two, they’ve gone on to lose in the final against both Wigan Warriors and this weekend’s opponents Hull KR.
Wigan have a record of seven wins and seven losses, whilst Hull KR have by far the fewest semi-final appearances with just six, including four in the last four years.
Sunday’s game against Warrington will be their fifth consecutive semi-final and a win would boost their record to a winning one with the Robins currently sat on three wins and three losses at this stage of the Challenge Cup.
Whilst St Helens, Warrington and Wigan have featured very heavily across the semi-finals, the fact that none of this year’s final four have a winning record at this stage highlights just how competitive the Challenge Cup is.
St Helens – 17
W: (8) – 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2019, 2021
L: (9) – 2003, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2023
Warrington Wolves – 15
W: (7) – 2009, 2010, 2012, 2016, 2018, 2024, 2025
L: (8) – 2000, 2001, 2004, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2020, 2021
Wigan Warriors – 14
W: (7) – 2002, 2004, 2011, 2013, 2017, 2022, 2024
L: (7) – 2003, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2023
Hull KR – 6
W: (3) – 2015, 2023, 2025
L: (3) – 2006, 2022, 2024
Stats sourced via Rugby League Project
It’s @Betfred #ChallengeCup Semi-Final week! 🙌
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— Betfred Challenge Cup (@TheChallengeCup) May 4, 2026
Anonymous
May 8, 2026 at 4:05 pm
If you ignored Wigan’s eight wins in a row they would still have won the Challenge Cup more times than any other club including Leeds who like to count war-time wins in their total.