Over 60,000 fans turned out at Wembley for the first Test of the rugby league Ashes and it’s now been confirmed that the sport will return there for the Challenge Cup Final in 2026.

The Rugby Football League (RFL) have confirmed the date for the Challenge Cup Final with Wembley also announced as the venue for a fourth straight year.

The event’s place in the calendar has been inconsistent in recent years though it has been played on the 8th and 7th of June the last two times, but it will now be moved forward a week in the calendar for 2026.

An RFL press release has confirmed that Saturday May 30th will be the date that rugby league next heads to Wembley with both the Men’s and Women’s Challenge Cup Finals confirmed for that day.

What’s interesting is that no mention has been made of the 1895 Cup Final, which has also been played on Challenge Cup Final day since 2019, however, there have been growing calls for the game to have it’s own day and this could signify that.

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Challenge Cup plans for 2026 confirmed

Not only have the RFL confirmed the date for the Challenge Cup Final, they’ve also given an indication of when and how the competition will start, specifically regarding Super League clubs.

A new format was used in 2025 where Super League sides played in the Challenge Cup before the league had even started and that will be the same once again.

Super League teams will join in the third round in early February and be drawn away from home as was the case last year. This was done in a bid to try and level the playing field and create more ‘giant-killing’ opportunities, however, Castleford Tigers were the only Super League side to lose.

The RFL’s statement read: “Rugby League will return to Wembley Stadium next May – and tickets for the 2026 Betfred Challenge Cup Finals Day have gone on sale at half-time in today’s Ashes Test at special Earlybird prices.

“Wembley has been the home of the men’s Challenge Cup Final since 1929, with the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup Final added in 2023 – and RL Commercial has confirmed that next year’s Finals will be played on Saturday May 30.”

As for the competition’s format, they revealed: “The 2026 Road to Wembley in the Betfred Challenge Cup will start early in the New Year with the opening rounds contested by clubs and teams from the community game, before the Betfred Super League clubs join the competition in the Third Round in early February – with a repeat of the seeded draw ensuring a range of giantkilling opportunities that proved such a success when introduced for 2025.”