Leave Wembley and a new Magic Weekend – my plan to fix the Challenge Cup

The Watersplash final. Martin Offiah’s long-range try against Leeds. Brett Kenny against Peter Sterling in 1985. Sheffield Eagles’ upset of 1998. Some of rugby league’s greatest-ever moments have been played out at Wembley Stadium.

The customary residence of the Challenge Cup final since 1946, barring the occasional move because of redevelopment, HA9 has been home to tradition, glory and sporting drama. And this Saturday, Wembley will again host the decider of rugby’s oldest cup competition when holders Hull KR defend their crown against Wigan Warriors.

But while history surrounds the hallowed London turf, the Challenge Cup hasn’t moved with the times. A crowd of only around 60,000 is expected at Wembley this weekend, which will leave it one-third empty. The Cup has an attendance problem and it is only getting worse.

The Challenge Cup final hasn’t cracked more than 80,000 fans since 2015, when Leeds thrashed Hull KR, and three years ago just 58,213 turned up to see Leigh defeat the Robins. Average crowds have gone from the mid-70,000s to the mid-60,000s since 2017, and now are declining further.

Rugby league has drifted out of fashion

There are many reasons for this – some obvious, some self-inflicted and some outside of the code’s control. The increase in living costs has hit rugby league’s heartland areas around the M62 hard and money is tight.

Many other rugby league events also compete with the Cup final that didn’t exist three decades ago – from Magic Weekend to the Super League grand final, matches in Las Vegas, Paris and Dublin, and away trips to Catalans and Toulouse.

The @Betfred Challenge Cup Final, HISTORY. DRAMA. GLORY #ChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/0BjVYpMTcj

— Betfred Challenge Cup (@TheChallengeCup) May 25, 2026

The sport’s national profile and media presence has also shrunk, with the likes of boxing, darts and women’s football now grabbing more column inches.

Rugby league has never promoted itself powerfully, and the changing media landscape, globalisation and explosion in social media has largely left it even more on the periphery of the UK psyche.

Make the move now

With the Rugby Football League’s contract with Wembley ending next year, and the cash-strapped governing body looking to cut costs, talk has grown about finding a new home for the Cup.

The 2022 final at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was seen as a success, and decent crowds were garnered at Murrayfield, Twickenham and Millennium Stadium between 2000 and 2006 when Wembley was being rebuilt.

“I can understand why people are saying to move it, because with all due respect, it doesn’t look great on the TV when it’s not full,” 2005 Challenge Cup winner Paul Cooke tells The i Paper.

“But the cynic in me says when I grew up I used to watch it at Wembley and that’s where I wanted to play it. Part of the regret I have, is my 2005 Cup final wasn’t at Wembley. As a player’s point of view, Wembley is the pinnacle.”

Super League’s grand final, introduced in 1998 and played at Old Trafford, has attracted crowds of nearly 70,000 for the past two years. Mirroring the success of the decider in the NRL in Australia, it has arguably become a bigger event in the sport’s calendar, at least for younger fans.

“To win the grand final is now the peak of a player’s career isn’t it,” the former Hull FC and Hull KR playmaker says.

“It’s played over a full season, plus the playoffs. Whereas the Challenge Cup, you can get there, not luckily, but in a couple of knockout games in latter rounds, which lead to a major final, and you can have one of them days. I guess it can be won by any Super League team, if they get it right on the day. But the playoffs are much more difficult than that.”

Accept that the ‘magic of the cup’ has faded

The Challenge Cup final at Wembley has the history, the memories, the prestige. But if you don’t move with the times, you get left behind. The competition has a packaging and positioning problem, and a major makeover is needed.

“I think the magic of the Cup is still there for players, but there’s that much for supporters to go at they can’t afford everything,” Cooke admits.

“They should never do away with the Challenge Cup but they’ve got to probably make it more accessible to the supporters, and that may mean moving the final.”

Rotating the final to other stadiums around the country – St James’ Park, Etihad Stadium, Tottenham, Villa Park – would help create a better atmosphere and sold-out visuals. At the same time, the RFL needs to do better at selling rivalries, not fixtures, by improving media access, visibility and re-engaging with community teams.

Lean into the tribalism

The Cup needs its own marketing budget, its own team to promote it and create a unique image. Professional clubs should embrace opening training sessions, digital platforms and viral moments to increase the Cup’s mythology and reach.

Right now the Challenge Cup has London fatigue, but Wembley shouldn’t be abandoned altogether. Once sellouts at other grounds have been achieved, getting back to Wembley Stadium should be the aspiration.

“For my generation, Wembley was everything,” 2022 Challenge Cup winner Terry O’Connor says.

“I felt robbed in 2022 when we won the final at Murrayfield, as it wasn’t at Wembley. Because I’m an old traditionalist, I like Wembley. But that’s not to say it’s right.”

More is needed to rejuvenate the Cup’s earlier rounds as well. Improve the scheduling, adopt a social-first strategy, avoid overseeding and maximise the chances of upsets. Weekends where all eight round of 16 matches, or all four quarter-finals, are played at the same venue could boost its appeal.

The Challenge Cup is tribal, brutal and emotional. It has proud foundations and great tradition, they just a refresh for the 21st century.