Challenge Cup to resume, lower league clubs asked to confirm participation

Drew Darbyshire 17 Jul 2020 10:00 AM

The 2020 Challenge Cup will resume at the sixth round stage in August – and lower league clubs have been asked to confirm their participation in the competition by the end of July.

The Challenge Cup final will now be played on Saturday, October 17.

With the Super League season resuming on August 2, dates for the remaining rounds of the Cup have been included in the schedule for the rest of 2020.

The competition had reached the last 16 stage before rugby league activity was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. It will return on Saturday, August 22 with a double-header live on the BBC from the John Smith’s Stadium, Huddersfield.

Warrington will face local rivals Wigan at 2:30pm live on BBC1 followed by St Helens taking on Salford on BBC2.

The other sixth round games will also be played over the same weekend of August 22-23.

The quarter-finals have been re-scheduled for the weekend of September 19-20, the semi-finals for Saturday, October 3; and the final to follow two weeks later on October 17, with a 3pm kick-off.

Venues for all other fixtures, including the 2020 Challenge Cup final, have still to be confirmed.

Full details of the sixth round will be confirmed by the end of July following a deadline for the five Championship and League 1 clubs remaining in the competition to inform the RFL whether they feel able to continue.

Widnes, Featherstone, Newcastle, Sheffield and York are the remaining clubs outside of Super League still in the 2020 Challenge Cup.

2020 Challenge Cup revised dates

Sixth round: August 22-23

Quarter-finals: September 19-20

Semi-finals: October 3

Final: October 17

Sixth round draw

Leeds Rhinos v Hull KR

Newcastle Thunder v Toronto Wolfpack

Salford Red Devils v St Helens

Sheffield Eagles v Hull FC

Wakefield Trinity v Featherstone Rovers