St Helens, Wigan Warriors, Warrington Wolves, and Hull KR all head into the weekend knowing they are just 80 minutes away from booking their place in the Betfred Challenge Cup Final.
All four sides have reached Rugby League’s most historic final within the last five years, so will know exactly how and what it means to get to the big stage…
St Helens v Wigan Warriors – Saturday 9 May (K.O. 2.30pm) – BBC1 and BBC iPlayer 2pm-4.30pm
A mouthwatering semi-final clash awaits on Saturday, as two of rugby league’s biggest rivals go head-to-head for a place at Wembley Stadium.
St Helens, 13-time Challenge Cup winners, will face Wigan Warriors at the Halliwell Jones Stadium – a side who have lifted the trophy on a record 21 occasions.
Saints are seeking their first appearance at Wembley since 2021, where they were victors against Castleford Tigers.
The Warriors, on the other hand, added yet another cup trophy to their tally just two years ago, in their 2024 quadruple-winning season, where they overcame Warrington Wolves.
The cup meetings between the two sides are rich in history – they have met 29 times in total, including the 1961, 1966, 1989, 1991, 2002 and 2004 Challenge Cup Finals.
Their last cup outing came in the 2022 Semi-Finals, where Liam Marshall’s breakaway try at Elland Road sealed a memorable derby victory for the Warriors.
And will certainly be no love lost in Saturday’s encounter, especially for Wigan, who will be out to avenge their devastating Good Friday defeat to the Saints in Betfred Super League’s Rivals Round last month.
The Red V forged an unthinkable comeback, living up to their famous line “Never write off the Saints.”
But what will the story be this time round?
St Helens enter this match joint-top of the Super League table having won their last four matches, whilst Wigan aren’t too far behind.
The Warriors got back to winning ways in Round 10 of the Super League last Saturday following a rocky and uncharacteristic four-game losing streak, so will be determined to put on a show in the competition their form is renowned for.
Who is ready for a classic?
Warrington Wolves v Hull KR – Sunday 10 May (K.O. 4pm) - BBC2 and BBC iPlayer 3.45pm-6.15pm
It’s a repeat of the 2025 Betfred Challenge Cup Final!
Last year, Hull KR lifted their first Challenge Cup trophy since 1980, beating the Wolves 6-8 in dramatic fashion with Tom Davies' last-gasp try.
Fast forward a year, the Robins stormed to the treble and are looking to go back-to-back for the first time in their history.
Warrington, however, will be hoping it's third time lucky for their club, having suffered two successive Challenge Cup Final defeats.
In fact, they haven’t picked up silverware since 2019. Will Sam Burgess’ men appear at the national stadium three seasons in a row?
In total, there are 19 previous Challenge Cup meetings between the two sides – meetings which date all the way back to the 1905 final, with the most recent one being the final in 2025.
Warrington have nine cup titles to their name, but will be desperate to make it double digits in 2026, and could move to within 80 minutes of doing so on Sunday.
Hull KR won’t want to give up their title too easily though, as they prepare to feature in their fifth consecutive semi-final.
Although form notoriously goes out of the window in knockout rugby league, it’s worth noting that both sides are currently high-flying in Super League, which makes for an epic showdown in the Challenge Cup.
The result of their most recent match-up dates back to Round 27 last year, where Hull KR clinched a 28-20 victory to secure the League Leaders’ Shield on home soil.
Now, both teams are preparing for their semi-final tie at Doncaster's Eco-Power Stadium this Sunday - will the Wolves put a stop to any more cup heartbreak, or can the Robins defend the silverware they worked so hard for? The stakes are high!
Betfred Challenge Cup Semi-Finals:
St Helens v Wigan Warriors - Saturday 9 May, K.O. 2.30pm (BBC1 and BBC iPlayer 2pm-4.30pm)
Warrington Wolves v Hull KR - Sunday 10 May, K.O. 4pm (BBC2 and BBC iPlayer 3.45pm-6.15pm)
It's Betfred Challenge Cup Finals Day at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 30 May 2026. Book your tickets here!
