Saturday’s Challenge Cup Final is expected to have an attendance of around 60,000 fans at Wembley, a drop off from last year’s event and with other logistical issues unveiling themselves this weekend, it’s fair to say that the argument to leave Wembley has never been stronger.
Traditionally, Challenge Cup Final day has been a major event in the rugby league calendar but the reality is now that clubs themselves put on so many other events that Wembley can often feel like a chore.
Take this year’s finalists, Hull KR have already been to Las Vegas, whilst Wigan Warriors will head to Paris later this year after completing Vegas last year. A trip to Wembley is far less exciting in comparison, even if silverware is on the line.
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Moreover, in the context of this year’s final, these sides faced of last week, albeit a weakened Wigan side, and the Warriors then head to Perpignan next week. It’s simply not affordable for some fans to make the trip.
Throw in the logistical nightmare that is the fact that Wembley Stadium station will be out of action due to engineering works and there will also be no direct trains from Wigan to London for the same reason, it’s no surprise that attendance will dip.
It raises the question about taking the Challenge Cup Final away from Wembley as the sad reality is that it is no longer the sport’s showpiece event, usurped by the Grand Final and often club events.
Whilst 60,000 would not be the lowest attendance of the last decade, far from it, the heights of 2015 and 2016 highlight why it’s now time for a change.
For context, the expected attendance of 60,000 would be either a sell-out or a borderline sell-out at the likes of the Etihad or St James Park in the north, or Tottenham or the Emirates in the south, with a full stadium a far better look for rugby league that a two-thirds full Wembley.
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Challenge Cup Final’s dwindling attendance record
2026: 60,000 expected
2025: 63,278
2024: 64,845
2023: 58,213
2022: 51,628 (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium)
2021: 40,000 (capped due to Covid restrictions)
2020: 0 (played behind closed doors due to Covid)
2019: 62,717
2018: 50,672
2017: 68,525
2016: 76,235
2015: 80,140
🚄 @networkrail‘s planned engineering works will take place between Wigan North Western and Warrington Bank Quay this Saturday, resulting in no direct trains from Wigan to London.
❌ Wembley Stadium Station will also be closed due to engineering works.#WWRL #ChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/TWXonKVvdR
— Wigan Warriors 🍒⚪️ (@WiganWarriorsRL) May 26, 2026
