Wigan Warriors smash landmark ticket sales for World Club Challenge

Wigan Warriors broke St Helens run of Super League dominance when they lifted the Grand Final back in October and they now get to face Penrith Panthers as their reward.

The Panthers are themselves three times consecutive NRL champions after pulling off a stunning comeback against Brisbane Broncos in the Grand Final, Nathan Cleary putting on a show in the final 25 minutes as he guided his side back from the brink.

Now the Panthers will contest the World Club Challenge for a second consecutive time after facing St Helens last season, the Red Vee causing a major upset by defeating the Panthers in their own back yard.

That came through a golden point victory courtesy of a Lewis Dodd drop goal but now it’s Wigan’s turn to face off against Australia’s elite.

Penrith will travel to England and face Wigan at the DW Stadium in the hope of lifting their first ever World Club Challenge, losing in their three appearances in the game before.

That includes a loss to Wigan Warriors back in 1991, the only time the two sides have met previously, whilst Wigan know that a win will take them tied for the most ever wins in the competition.

Given the huge occasion it’s no surprise that plenty of fans are intending to turn out but Wigan have now confirmed that ticket sales have surpassed 20,000 which is an incredible figure, particularly given the game is over six weeks away.

The game is slated for the 24th February at the DW Stadium and is looking like it will be a sell out with fans urged to purchase their tickets now or potentially miss out given such huge sales.

A crowd of 24,275 watched Wigan host St Helens in the Good Friday derby this past season and it’s expected that the clash against Penrith will attain a similar, if not larger crowd.

For reference Wigan Athletic played Manchester United in the FA Cup last night with just 22,870 in attendance, highlighting what a rugby league heartland Wigan is and also showcasing the incredible excitement that Penrith bring to the table – more so than one of the biggest football clubs in the world.

Tickets remain available to order for the World Club Challenge with information available here.