The Betfred Championship is back! The 2026 season gets underway this weekend, with plenty to look forward to.
Who will be crowned Championship champions? How will the 20 teams fare in a newly formed competition? And will the Play-Off race go down to the wire once more?
Could we see one of the most interesting seasons yet?
To begin, the second tier kicks off with a local derby between Salford and Oldham under the Friday Night Lights at the CorpArq Stadium.
It’s a fresh start for the Salford phoenix club, who have well and truly kickstarted their rebuild, whilst the Roughyeds will be aiming to pick up from where they left off in 2025 and push to be title contenders this time round.
The remaining eight fixtures will take place on Sunday afternoon, and Midlands Hurricanes will be hoping to make their mark in the Championship, after continuously building to be their best year on year.
They will take on Newcastle Thunder in a new home, having relocated to Avery Fields – just a short drive from Birmingham’s city centre.
Then, there’s a Cumbrian Derby to get the Championship started as Barrow Raiders reunite their rivalry with Workington Town.
For the first time since 2022, all three Cumbrian sides will compete in exactly the same league, meaning there are plenty of these ties to look forward to in 2026!
Doncaster and Halifax promises to be a tasty clash. Kyle Eastmond’s Panthers will be raring to go this season; determined to prove that last year’s storm to the semi-finals wasn’t just a one-off thing.
They defied the odds with a smaller squad in the previous campaign, and with last year’s top three securing promotion to the Betfred Super League (York, Toulouse and Bradford), 'Fax are very much in contention to do something special and will be keen to step up and show they are capable.
Their last meeting came in Round 26 last year, where Halifax came from behind to snatch 16-24 victory from the Dons, in what was a pulsating tale of two halves.
Meanwhile, Hunslet and Dewsbury will lock horns in the opening round. The Rams will head into the 2026 campaign confident after a strong season in Betfred League One, in which they finished fourth.
Hunslet, on the other hand, will no doubt be striving for a much improved performance after picking up the wooden spoon in 2025.
The standout tie sees Championship heavyweights and former Super League sides London Broncos and Widnes Vikings clash at the Cherry Red Records Stadium for their season opener.
Expect fireworks in the capital, with the Broncos hoping to lay down a marker to the rest of the teams in the competition.
The hosts are heavy favourites to cruise the league with Jason Demetriou at the helm and with Darren Lockyer's takeover, but they can ill-afford to underestimate the Vikings nor the threats that other teams could potentially pose to them.
Elsewhere in Round 1, Keighley Cougars entertain Goole Vikings where experienced front rower George Flanagan could make his 300th career appearance. Whitehaven also meet Sheffield Eagles, and there is action in Greater Manchester when Rochdale Hornets come to the town of Swinton Lions.
The Lions have won their last four home meetings with the Hornets.
What do you think the Championship will bring in 2026?
Betfred Championship Round 1 fixtures:
Salford Red Devils v Oldham RLFC - Friday 16 January
All Saturday 18 January:
Midlands Hurricanes v Newcastle Thunder
Barrow Raiders v Workington Town
Doncaster RLFC v Halifax Panthers
Hunslet RLFC v Dewsbury Rams
London Broncos v Widnes Vikings
Keighley Cougars v Goole Vikings
Whitehaven RLFC v Sheffield Eagles
Swinton Lions v Rochdale Hornets
Find out more about the Betfred Championship here!
The Betfred Championship returns this weekend - the full fixture list can be found here.
