Wigan Warriors star lays down World Club Challenge gauntlet to Penrith Panthers

Wigan Warriors captain Liam Farrell has thrown down the gauntlet to NRL champions Penrith Panthers regarding the possibility of a World Club Challenge in 2025: saying the Super League champions ‘100 per cent’ want to play.

Wigan and Penrith retained their positions as the club game’s two most dominant and outstanding sides in the last ten days, with the Panthers securing an historic fourth straight NRL title before the Warriors completed an unprecedented quadruple in Saturday night’s Super League Grand Final.

The two sides played out a thrilling affair in this year’s World Club Challenge, with Wigan emerging triumphant to inflict a second straight defeat in the event on Ivan Cleary’s side, after they lost to St Helens in Australia in 2023.

However, the game looks to be in serious doubt next year. Penrith have indicated they would not be willing to play a World Club Challenge on either side of the world due to their commitments in Las Vegas.

Wigan are also heading to Vegas but are believed to be open to finding a way to stage the match: even if it meant playing it in the United States.

And Farrell delivered a clear message to the Panthers after Saturday night’s victory: saying that Wigan are desperate to play in the game and potentially defend the trophy they won at the start of this year.

He said: “If there was a way of doing it, we’d definitely be up for it. The club – 100 per cent – wants to play in the World Club Challenge.

“We have got a very rich history in it and if both teams can get it on, then it’d be great to have another match-up against them again because it was a very special game against them last time.

“I think they’re (Penrith) just looking at their calendar year and how many games they’ve got to play and looking after player welfare – I think that’s the most important thing – and they’ve got players playing internationals at the end of the year and turning around trying to play in a World Club Challenge as well as a game in Las Vegas will be a bit too much I think.”

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