{"id":282139,"date":"2025-11-25T08:35:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-25T08:35:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/282139\/"},"modified":"2025-11-25T08:35:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T08:35:10","slug":"2026-betfred-challenge-cup-rounds-one-and-two-draws-made","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/282139\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Betfred Challenge Cup Rounds One and Two Draws made"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2026 Betfred Challenge Cup began today (November 24), with the draws for the first two rounds of the competition taking place at the RFL\u2019s Etihad Campus headquarters.<\/p>\n

Both were hosted by broadcaster Ross Fiddes, and the balls drawn by two players who were Betfred Challenge Cup winners at Wembley Stadium in 2025 \u2013 the Wigan Warriors loose forward Megan Williams, and James Batchelor of Hull KR.<\/p>\n

The draw included 34 clubs and teams from the community game for the First Round, with the 21 clubs due to play in next season\u2019s expanded Betfred Championship then joining for the Second Round.<\/p>\n

The format of the remainder of the 2026 Betfred Challenge Cup will be the same as in 2025, following the positive impact of a new-look Third Round in which the Betfred Super League clubs will again be seeded, and therefore guaranteed an away tie against the community and Championship clubs who win the 19 Second Round ties.<\/p>\n

As has become traditional, the First Round ties will kick off the season, with the 17 matches to be played on the weekend of January 10-11.<\/p>\n

The 19 Second Round ties will be played on the weekend of January 24-25, with the 16 Third Round ties on the weekend of February 7-8 \u2013 before the 2026 Betfred Super League season kicks off on Thursday February 12.<\/p>\n

A reminder of details surrounding Rounds One and Two can be found here: Betfred Challenge Cup 2026 \u2013 First and Second Round draws details<\/a><\/p>\n

Challenge Cup Round One draw \u2013 ties to be played weekend of January 10-11<\/p>\n

Orrell St James v Haresfinch<\/p>\n

Wigan St Judes v Leigh Miners Rangers<\/p>\n

Rochdale Mayfield v Ince Rose Bridge<\/p>\n

Blackbrook v GB Police<\/p>\n

Thatto Heath Crusaders v Seaton Rangers<\/p>\n

Siddal v Waterhead<\/p>\n

Stanningley v Dewsbury Moor<\/p>\n

Kings Cross Park v West Hull<\/p>\n

Hunslet ARLFC v York Acorn<\/p>\n

Heworth v RAF<\/p>\n

Brighouse Rangers v Lock Lane<\/p>\n

Woodhouse Warriors v Mirfield Spartans<\/p>\n

Bedford Tigers v Medway Dragons<\/p>\n

British Army v Wests Warriors<\/p>\n

Broncos (Northern Ireland) v Aberavon Fighting Irish<\/p>\n

Telford Raiders v London Chargers<\/p>\n

Royal Navy v Hammersmith Hills Hoists<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Challenge Cup Round Two draw – ties to be played on the weekend of January 24-25<\/p>\n

Oldham v Orrell St James\/Haresfinch<\/p>\n

Wigan St Jude\/Leigh Miners Rangers v Barrow Raiders<\/p>\n

Rochdale Mayfield\/Ince Rose Bridge v Swinton Lions<\/p>\n

Blackbrook\/GB Police v Workington Town<\/p>\n

Thatto Heath Crusaders\/Seaton Rangers v Widnes Vikings<\/p>\n

Siddal\/Waterhead v Rochdale Hornets<\/p>\n

Stanningley\/Dewsbury Moor v Hunslet<\/p>\n

Dewsbury Rams v Kings Cross Park\/West Hull<\/p>\n

Batley Bulldogs v Hunslet ARLFC\/York Acorn<\/p>\n

Heworth\/RAF v Keighley Cougars<\/p>\n

Brighouse Rangers\/Lock Lane v Featherstone Rovers<\/p>\n

Woodhouse Warriors\/Mirfield Spartans v Goole Vikings<\/p>\n

North Wales Crusaders v Bedford Tigers\/Medway Dragons<\/p>\n

London Broncos v British Army\/Wests Warriors<\/p>\n

Midlands Hurricanes v Broncos (Northern Ireland)\/Aberavon Fighting Irish<\/p>\n

Halifax Panthers v Telford Raiders\/London Chargers<\/p>\n

Royal Navy\/Hammersmith Hills Hoist v Salford Red Devils<\/p>\n

Sheffield Eagles v Whitehaven<\/p>\n

Doncaster v Newcastle Thunder<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Betfred Challenge Cup 2026 key dates<\/p>\n

First Round draw \u2013 Monday November 24 (4pm release)<\/p>\n

First Round (Community) \u2013 Jan 10-11<\/p>\n

Second Round (Championship clubs enter) \u2013 Jan 24-25<\/p>\n

Third Round (Super League clubs enter) \u2013 Feb 6-8<\/p>\n

Fourth Round (last 16) \u2013 March 14-15<\/p>\n

Quarter Finals \u2013 April 11-12<\/p>\n

Semi Finals \u2013 May 9\/10<\/p>\n

Final \u2013 Saturday May 30<\/p>\n

Like this story, share it…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The 2026 Betfred Challenge Cup began today (November 24), with the draws for the first two rounds of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":282140,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[115217,5903,101,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-282139","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-rugby","tag-2026-betfred-challenge-cup-rounds-one-and-two-draws-made","tag-rugby","tag-sports","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/282139","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=282139"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/282139\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/282140"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=282139"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=282139"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=282139"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}