Wigan Warriors face Warrington Wolves in the Challenge Cup final this weekend at Wembley Stadium.
Once upon a time, this was one of the best-attended sporting events in the country, getting 90,000+ fans in every year; once, in a replay at Odsal, it hit over 100,000.
This year, both sides have reported sales of over 10,000, while Wakefield Trinity, playing in the 1895 Cup final the same day, have sold at least 7,000.
However, with the last four non-Covid years only hitting 60,000 once, it’s clear that Challenge Cup final attendances are in decline recently.
With this in mind, we’ve ranked the top ten Challenge Cup final attendances in the Super League era – which has seen it take place halfway through the league season, with a switch to summer rugby.
From 2000 to 2006, the game was played away from Wembley, due to the new version being built – and Murrayfield, Twickenham and Millenium Stadium have smaller capacities, meaning none of these finals are in the top ten.
QUIZ: Name the Challenge Cup winners from every year 1996-2022
Top 10 Challenge Cup final attendances in the Super League era
Credit: Imago images
10. 76,560 – 2009, Warrington Wolves v Huddersfield Giants
Lee Briers won his first trophy at Warrington after twelve years at the club, and it ended the club’s wait of 35 years without the famous cup.
This final also marked the first since 1986 that didn’t have any of what was known as the ‘Big Four’ of rugby league: Bradford, Leeds St Helens and Wigan.
The Wolves had beaten this year’s finalists Wigan in the semi-final, and inflicted a second cup final defeat in four years for the Giants.
9. 77,914 – 2014, Leeds Rhinos v Castleford Tigers
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Castleford were looking for a first major trophy since 1986, and Daryl Powell, in just his second year at the club, had achieved a remarkable turnaround.
However, he was stung by players he’d handed debuts to at Leeds, as Danny Maguire scored two tries and a drop-goal and Rob Burrow starred, while Kevin Sinfield who he’d handed the captaincy to over a decade earlier, kicked three successful conversions as the Rhinos won their twelfth Challenge Cup.
It was, remarkably, their first in 15 years, and they’d lost six finals since last winning.
8. 78,022 – 1997, St Helens v Bradford Bulls
One of the final games at the old Wembley, the Silk Cut Challenge Cup final saw two of the afforementioned ‘Big Four’ going head-to-head in a replay of the final from the previous year.
Saints had beaten old rivals Wigan in the fourth round, and came into the game having beaten Salford in the semi-final with a remarkable score of 50-20.
Bobbie Goulding was perfect from the boot, scoring 12 points as his side won the game, inflicting further wounds on Bradford.
7. 78,137 – 2013, Wigan Warriors v Hull FC
The rain poured at a Challenge Cup final for the first time in 15 years, and the game was full of errors as Hull FC searched for their first Wembley win.
Wigan had scored 60, 46, 48 and 70 points on their way to the final, hammering Super League side London Broncos 70-0 in the semi.
However, it was a game of just two tries, as Iain Thornley made themost of a bit of luck, Pat Richards scored a couple of penalties and Sam Tomkins wrapped things up on the final whistle.
6. 78,482 – 2011, Wigan Warriors v Leeds Rhinos
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Two years earlier, Wigan were involved again, and won again, beating last year’s losing finalists Leeds.
It was their first visit to the new Wembley, and tries from Jeff Lima, Josh Charnley, Joel Tomkins and Tom Leuluai proved too much for a Leeds side that won the two Super League titles either side of this game.
This saw a special try, as Sam and Joel Tomkins combined for a length-of-the-field effort that has gone down as one of the best ever on a Wembley pitch.
5. 79,180 – 2012, Warrington Wolves v Leeds Rhinos
It was now three Challenge Cup final losses in a row for Leeds Rhinos, but they would, of course, finally get that elusive win two years later.
They would have come into the game in high spirits, having beatern Wigan 39-28 in the semi-final, but Warrington, inspired by a special Brett Hodgson performance, owned the day.
Despite this, the week earlier, they were whalloped 62-18 at the Twickenham Stoop by London Broncos.
Leeds would get their revenge in the Grand Final later that year, beating the Wolves 26-18 at Old Trafford.
4. 80,840 – 2015, Leeds Rhinos v Hull KR
After losing six of their last seven Wembley appearances, the Rhinos were now looking for their second Challenge Cup win in a row, and they achieved it in some style, winning 50-0 in the biggest victory in Challenge Cup final history.
Tom Briscoe scored five tries, picking up the Lance Todd Trophym while in his last Wembley appearance, Kevin Sinfield kicked seven goals.
This was the last final to have an 80,000+ crowd.
This was one-third of a historic treble in 2015, winning the Cup, Grand Final and League Leaders’ Shield, becoming the third side to achieve it.
It hasn’t been achieved since.
3. 82,821 – 2008, St Helens v Hull FC
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Saints hit ten points without reply in the first half, but a brace from Kirk Yeaman had them behind just past the hour mark.
Despite this, Francis Meli, Jon Wilkin and Leon Pryce’s tries ensured a victort, with current head coach Paul Wellens getting the Lance Todd Trophy.
This was the last of three Challenge Cup final victories in a row for Saints, who were finally defeated in the 2009 semi-final against Huddersfield.
2. 84,241 – 2007, St Helens v Catalans Dragons
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People like to moan about attendances for games with Catalans involved, and they were involved in the lowest pre-Covid attendance since before Wembley Stadium became a permanent venue in 1946, but in 2007, they were in the game that had the second-highest Challenge Cup final attendance of the Super League era.
They became the first non-English side in a Challenge Cup final, but couldn’t become the first to win it, as Saints won their second in a row, as James Roby opened the scoring and they stayed ahead until the last.
Interestingly, the Lance Todd Trophy was shared between Paul Wellens and Leon Pryce.
1. 85,217 – 2010, Warrington Wolves v Leeds Rhinos
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One of this year’s finalists was involved in the game that drew the largest crowd in the Super League era, as the Wolves won their second Wembley final in a row against Leeds Rhinos, who would also go on to lose the next two finals.
It was the first Challenge Cup sell-out in the new Wembley Stadium since returning to the historic venue in 2007.
The star of the show in this game was surely Chris Hicks, who picked up a hattrick of tries, the first of its kind since the last final at the old Wembley in 1999.
Richie Mathers also produced three remarkable try-saving tackles, but the Lance Todd Trophy went to Lee Briers.
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