Leeds rugby league teams to learn Challenge Cup fate: here's when draws will be made & how to watch
The road to Wembley starts today.
Leeds sides Hunslet ARLFC and Oulton Raiders are among 34 teams from the community game set to feature in the Betfred Challenge Cup first round draw in Goole this evening. That will be followed immediately by the draw for the second round, when the 12 English teams in the Betfred Championship - including promoted Hunslet RLFC - and all 11 League One clubs go into the bag.
First round ties will be played on the weekend of January 11-12, which marks the official start of the 2025 season. The 20 second round matches are scheduled for January 25-26.
Super League teams enter the competition in round three, when all 12 will face an away tie against one of the second round survivors. The third round draw will be made next month, with the 16 games being played on the weekend of February 8-9, a week before the Super League season begins.
New club Goole Vikings are hosting today’s draws which will be conducted by Wakefield Trinity’s Max Jowitt and reigning Man of Steel Mikey Lewis, of Hull KR. Jowitt set a new rugby league record by scoring 500 points during Trinity’s triumphant 2024 season when they won the 1895 Cup, finished top of the Betfred Championship and sealed a return to Super League with victory in the Grand Final.
The draws will be shown live on BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app, with coverage starting from 6.30pm. The ball numbers are: Round one - 1 British Army, 2 RAF, 3 Royal Navy, 4 Maryport (Cumberland Rugby League), 5 GB Police; 6 Longhorns (Ireland Rugby League), 7 Telford Raiders (Harry Jepson Trophy winners), 8 Crosfields, 9 Dewsbury Moor, 10 Hunslet ARLFC, 11 Ince Rose Bridge, 12 Leigh Miners Rangers, 13 Lock Lane, 14 Oulton Raiders, 15 Rochdale Mayfield, 16 Siddal, 17 Thatto Heath (BARLA National Cup winners), 18 Waterhead Warriors, 19 Wath Brow Hornets, 20 West Bowling, 21 West Hull, 22 York Acorn, 23 Blackbrook, 24 Haresfinch, 25 Orrell St James, 26 Mirfield, 27 Edinburgh Eagles (Scotland Rugby League), 28 Eastern Rhinos, 29 Hammersmith Hills Hoists, 30 London Chargers, 31 - Wests Warriors, 32 Aberavon Fighting Irish (Wales Rugby League), 33 Doncaster Toll Bar, 34 Stanley Rangers. Round two - 1 Barrow Raiders, 2 Batley Bulldogs, 3 Bradford Bulls, 4 Cornwall, 5 Dewsbury Rams, 6 Doncaster, 7 Featherstone Rovers, 8 Goole Vikings, 9 Halifax Panthers, 10 Hunslet RLFC, 11 Keighley Cougars, 12 London Broncos, 13 Midlands Hurricanes, 14 Newcastle Thunder, 15 North Wales Crusaders, 16 Oldham, 17 Rochdale Hornets, 18 Sheffield Eagles, 19 Swinton Lions, 20 Whitehaven, 21 Widnes Vikings, 22 Workington Town, 23 York Knights, 24-40 first round winners.