Sheffield Eagles to join Super League heavyweights in 2024 Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup

Sheffield Eagles will make their debut in the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup next year and could face seven-time winners, St Helens, or Super League champions, York Valkyrie, with details of the competition’s group stage draw now confirmed.

The draw will take place live on BBC Radio Merseyside on Wednesday 10 January (timing TBC) and will involve 16 teams placed into four seeded groups of four - guaranteeing each of them three fixtures.

The Eagles women’s team - spearheaded by recent RFL Roll of Honour inductee Andrea Dobson - have made rapid progression since forming in 2021 and will be joined in pool four by Cardiff Demons, Hull KR and WSL South champions London Broncos.

St Helens made history in August when they became the first women’s team to lift the Challenge Cup trophy at Wembley Stadium and will be in the top seed pool alongside last year’s runners up Leeds Rhinos, York Valkyrie and Wigan Warriors.

Featherstone Rovers and Barrow Raiders celebrated promotion to the topflight at the end of last season and their strong end to the campaign sees both clubs in pool two with Huddersfield Giants and Warrington Wolves.

Pool three consists of the remaining teams in Group Two of last year’s Super League - Leigh Leopards, Salford Red Devils, Bradford Bulls and Castleford Tigers.

The group stage fixtures will take place on the weekends of March 16/17, 22/23 and April 6/7 with home and away legs to be confirmed following the draw on January 10.

Fixtures for the Betfred Women’s Super League will also be confirmed in late January ahead of the competition returning on Saturday 20 April.

The 2024 Women’s Challenge Cup is part of a Finals Day triple-header at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 8 June, alongside the final of the Betfred Men’s Challenge Cup and the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup. Tickets are available online from only £15 Adults and £7.50 Under 16s, with family packages also available starting from just £18.75 for one Adult and two Under 16s. Get yours here!