2021 Challenge Cup

{{Infobox Rugby football league challenge cup

|title = 2021 Betfred Challenge Cup

|logo =

|alt = <|--Alt text for image-->

|caption =

|pixels =

|duration = 6 rounds

|no_of_teams = 28

|highest_attendance =

|lowest_attendance =

|avg_attendance =

|TV = {{plainlist|BBC Sport

The Sportsman}}

|biggest_away_win = {{leagueicon|Canberra|12}} West Wales Raiders 4–58 {{leagueicon|Widnes|12}} Widnes Vikings (21 March 2021)

|biggest_home_win = {{leagueicon|Salford city|12}} Salford Red Devils 68–4 {{leagueicon|Widnes|12}} Widnes Vikings (10 April 2021)

|season = 2021

|season_champs = {{leagueicon|st Helens|12}} St Helens

|season_champ_name = Winners

|second_place = {{leagueicon|Castleford|12}} Castleford Tigers

|MVP = Niall Evalds

|MVP_link = Lance Todd Trophy

|top_scorer =

|top try scorer = 7, Regan Grace ({{leagueicon|st Helens|12}} St Helens)

|prevseason_link = 2020 Challenge Cup

|prevseason_year = 2020

|nextseason_link = 2022 Challenge Cup

|nextseason_year = 2022

}}

The 2021 Challenge Cup, known for sponsorship reasons as the 2021 Betfred Challenge Cup, was the 120th edition of the Challenge Cup, the main rugby league knockout tournament in British rugby league run by the Rugby Football League (RFL). This year's competition will be contested between only the professional clubs.

The competition was won by St Helens who beat Castleford 26–12 at Wembley Stadium on 17 July 2021.

Leeds Rhinos were the defending champions, after defeating Salford Red Devils 17–16 in the 2020 final. However, they were eliminated in round 3, after losing 18–24 to St Helens.

Entrants

Usually the Challenge Cup is contested between the clubs of the professional Super League, Championship, League 1 and a number of invited amateur teams. However this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, the 2021 Challenge Cup did not include the amateur teams.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/55413992|title=RFL outlines 2021 Challenge Cup format|publisher=BBC Sport |date=23 December 2020 |access-date=29 December 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.forces.net/sport/military-teams-ruled-out-2021-challenge-cup|title=Rugby League: Military Teams Ruled Out Of 2021 Challenge Cup|date= 11 January 2021 |website=Forces Network|access-date=20 February 2021}} French-side Toulouse Olympique who play in the Championship choose not to play in cup competitions.{{Cite web|url=https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/sport/18965292.rfl-confirm-challenge-cup-round-dates-2021/|title=RFL confirm Challenge Cup round dates 2021|work=Warrington Guardian |date=23 December 2020 |access-date=29 December 2020}}

The matches were broadcast by the BBC with the initial rounds being made available online with matches from the last 16 being broadcast on television following the BBC agreeing a new three year deal with the RFL.{{Cite web|url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/rfl-extend-partnership-with-bbc-for-challenge-cup-coverage/|title=RFL extend partnership with BBC for Challenge Cup coverage|first=Drew|last=Darbyshire|date=15 December 2020 |access-date=29 December 2020|website=Love Rugby League}} The date for the 2021 final was confirmed prior to the 2020 Challenge Cup Final with the hopes that fans will be able to be admitted.{{Cite web|url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/rfl-admit-huge-disappointment-zero-fans-wembley-2021-challenge-cup-final-date-set-2985549|title=RFL admit "huge disappointment" with zero fans at Wembley as 2021 Challenge Cup final date is set|publisher=Yorkshire Post |date=28 September 2020 |access-date=29 December 2020}}

Rounds

When the details of the competition were announced in December 2020, it was envisaged that the first round, would feature the League 1 clubs; and Dewsbury Rams, Newcastle Thunder, Oldham and Whitehaven from the Championship. The rest of the Championship clubs enter at round two, with the Super League clubs entering in round four.

It was also announced, that the early rounds of the competition will also form the early rounds of the 1895 Cup with the highest four teams from the Championship and League 1, becoming the semi-finalists of the 1895 Cup, with the final to be played, on the same day as the Challenge Cup Final at Wembley.

The first round draw was due to be held on the week commencing 4 January 2021. However, due to the UK lockdown, this was delayed.{{Cite web |first=Matthew |last=Shaw |url=https://www.totalrl.com/championship-and-league-1-pre-season-training-suspended-as-a-result-of-latest-national-lockdown/ |title=Championship and League 1 pre-season training suspended as a result of latest national lockdown |publisher=Total Rugby League |date=5 January 2021 |access-date=9 January 2021}}

A further meeting of the clubs was held on 13 January 2021, to discuss alternative schedules for both the cup competitions and the league fixtures, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Several contingency plans were announced, which mostly affected the involvement of the League 1 clubs in the Challenge Cup.{{cite news |last1=Shaw |first1=Matthew |title=Revealed – Championship clubs set for March restart with reduced number of fixtures |url=https://www.totalrl.com/revealed-championship-clubs-set-for-march-restart-with-reduced-number-of-fixtures/ |access-date=14 January 2021 |work=Total Rugby League |date=13 January 2021}}

Start the 2021 League 1 season in March, and allow the League 1 clubs to enter the Challenge Cup as previously announced.
Delay the start of the League 1 campaign until May and omit the League 1 clubs from the cup competition.
Delay the start of League 1 until May, but let the League 1 clubs decide individually whether to enter the cup or not. However, this may involve them playing one or two fixtures in March, and then face a two-month gap, until the start of the league games, during which they may not be able to take advantage of the British government's furlough scheme.

After further discussion around option 3, the majority of the League 1 clubs decided not to participate in the competition. Barrow, Keighley and West Wales Raiders, decided to enter, and played in a 16-team round 1 with the 13 participating Championship clubs.

Round 1 was scheduled for the weekend of 20–21 March.{{cite news |title=Championship and League 1 clubs target March 21 return date |url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/championship-and-league-1-clubs-target-march-21-return-date/ |access-date=22 January 2021 |work=Love Rugby League |date=22 January 2021}}

After the announcement, at least two League 1 clubs, Rochdale and Hunslet, expressed disappointment and claimed that a selection process had taken place rather than all clubs withdrawing.{{cite news |title=Cup Runneth Over |work=Rugby Leaguer & League Express |date=25 January 2021 |page=14 |issue=3161}}

Any club unable to fulfil a tie in the first two rounds will forfeit the fixture to their opponents. Ties unable to be played due to a team having seven or more players out due to COVID-19 restrictions, will be re-arranged and will take precedence over league fixtures.{{cite news |last1=Thompson |first1=Doug |title=Percentages and postponements |work=Rugby Leaguer & League Express |issue=3267 |date=8 March 2021 |page=3}}

=Format and dates=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" \|+Format and round dates for the 2021 Challenge Cup
scope="col" \| Round ! scope="col" \| Date ! scope="col" \| Clubs involved this round ! scope="col" \| Winners from previous round ! scope="col" \| New entries this round ! scope="col" \| Leagues entering at this round
scope="row" style="text-align:center;" \| Round 1 \| 20–21 March \|\| 16 \|\| {{N/A\|None}} \|\| 16 \|\| style="text-align: left;"\|13 UK based Championship teams and 3 League 1 teams
scope="row" style="text-align:center;" \| Round 2 \| 27–28 March \|\| 8 \|\| 8 \|\| {{N/A\|None}} \|\| {{N/A\|None}}
scope="row" style="text-align:center;" \| Round 3 \| 10–11 April \|\| 16 \|\| 4 \|\| 12 \|\| style="text-align: left;" \|All 12 Super League clubs
scope="row" style="text-align:center;" \| Quarter-finals \| 8–9 May\|\| 8 \|\| 8 \|\| rowspan=3{{N/A\|None}} \|\| rowspan=3{{N/A\|None}}
scope="row" style="text-align:center;" \| Semi-finals \| 5–6 June\|\| 4 \|\| 4
scope="row" style="text-align:center;" \| Final \| 17 July \|\| 2 \|\| 2
colspan=6 style="text-align: center;" \|Source:{{cite web \|title=Betfred Championship and League 1 confirm staged return in 2021 \|url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/57589/betfred-championship-and-league--confirm-staged-return-in- \|website=www.rugby-league.com \|publisher=RFL \|access-date=22 January 2021 \|date=22 January 2021}}{{cite web \|title=Betfred Challenge Cup draw details \|url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/57793/betfred-challenge-cup-draw-details \|website=www.rugby-league.com \|publisher=RFL \|access-date=29 March 2021}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+Format and round dates for the 2021 Challenge Cup

scope="col" | Round

! scope="col" | Date

! scope="col" | Clubs involved this round

! scope="col" | Winners from previous round

! scope="col" | New entries this round

! scope="col" | Leagues entering at this round

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | Round 1

| 20–21 March || 16 || {{N/A|None}} || 16 || style="text-align: left;"|13 UK based Championship teams and 3 League 1 teams

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | Round 2

| 27–28 March || 8 || 8 || {{N/A|None}} || {{N/A|None}}

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | Round 3

| 10–11 April || 16 || 4 || 12 || style="text-align: left;" |All 12 Super League clubs

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | Quarter-finals

| 8–9 May|| 8 || 8 || rowspan=3{{N/A|None}} || rowspan=3{{N/A|None}}

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | Semi-finals

| 5–6 June|| 4 || 4

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | Final

| 17 July || 2 || 2

colspan=6 style="text-align: center;" |Source:{{cite web |title=Betfred Championship and League 1 confirm staged return in 2021 |url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/57589/betfred-championship-and-league--confirm-staged-return-in- |website=www.rugby-league.com |publisher=RFL |access-date=22 January 2021 |date=22 January 2021}}{{cite web |title=Betfred Challenge Cup draw details |url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/57793/betfred-challenge-cup-draw-details |website=www.rugby-league.com |publisher=RFL |access-date=29 March 2021}}

First round

The draw for the first and second rounds of the competition was made on 11 February 2021. The first round games were played over the weekend of 20/21 March 2021.{{cite news |last1=Sadler |first1=Martyn |title=West Wales drawn against Widnes in first round of Challenge Cup |url=https://www.totalrl.com/west-wales-drawn-against-widnes-in-first-round-of-challenge-cup/ |access-date=11 February 2021 |work=TotalRL.com |date=11 February 2021}}

Due to COVID-19 regulations prohibiting live attendances all the first round games were broadcast live either on the RFL's Our League app or on the BBC's Red Button and iPlayer services or on The Sportsman online services.{{cite web |title=Spring streaming bonanza to kick off the 2021 season |url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/57675/spring-streaming-bonanza-to-kick-off-the--season- |website=www.rugby-league.com |publisher=RFL |access-date=20 February 2021 |date=19 February 2021}}{{cite news |title=BBC to broadcast potential Henson Challenge Cup debut |url=https://www.totalrl.com/bbc-to-broadcast-potential-henson-challenge-cup-debut/ |access-date=10 March 2021 |work=TotalRL |date=10 March 2021}}{{cite web |title=The Sportsman To Kick Off Rugby League Season With Live Challenge Cup Coverage |url=https://www.thesportsman.com/articles/the-sportsman-to-kick-off-rugby-league-season-with-live-challenge-cup-coverage |website=The Sportsman |access-date=10 March 2021 |date=9 March 2021}}

border=1 style="border-collapse:collapse; font-size:90%; text-align:center"; cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 width=100%

|+ style="font-size:100%; font-weight:bold" |Betfred Challenge Cup round 1: results

style="background:#C1D8ff;"

!scope="col" rowspan=2 width=19%|Home

!scope="col" rowspan=2 width=6%|Score

!scope="col" rowspan=2 width=19%|Away

!colspan=4|Match Information

style="background:#CCCCCC;"

!scope="col" width=17%|Date and Time

!scope="col" width=20%|Venue

!scope="col" width=10%|Referee

!scope="col" width=8%|Broadcast method

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|sheffield|12}} Sheffield Eagles

| 6–30

| {{leagueicon|york rlfc|12}} York City Knights

| 19 March 2021, 7:45pm

| Keepmoat Stadium

| Tom Grant

| The Sportsman

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|oldham|12}} Oldham

| 20–6

| {{leagueicon|barrow|12}} Barrow Raiders

| 20 March 2021, 1:45pm

| Bower Fold

| Marcus Griffiths

| Our League

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|london broncos|12}} London Broncos

| 24–10

| {{leagueicon|keighley|12}} Keighley Cougars

| 20 March 2021, 3:00pm

| The Rock

| Rob Hicks

| Our League

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|whitehaven|12}} Whitehaven

| 23–16

| {{leagueicon|dewsbury|12}} Dewsbury Rams

| 20 March 2021, 5:15pm

| Recreation Ground

| James Child

| Our League

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|halifax|12}} Halifax Panthers

| 6–19

| {{leagueicon|batley|12}} Batley Bulldogs

| 20 March 2021, 7:30pm

| The Shay

| Ben Thaler

| Our League

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|canberra|12}} West Wales Raiders

| 4–58

| {{leagueicon|widnes|12}} Widnes Vikings

| 21 March 2021, 12:45pm

| Stebonheath Park

| Liam Moore

| BBC services

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|featherstone|12}} Featherstone Rovers

| 41–16

| {{leagueicon|bradford|12}} Bradford Bulls

| 21 March 2021, 3:00pm

| Millennium Stadium

| Chris Kendall

| BBC services

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|swinton|12}} Swinton Lions

| 28–16

| {{leagueicon|gateshead|12}} Newcastle Thunder

| 21 March 2021, 5:15pm

| Heywood Road

| Scott Mikalauskas

| Our League

style="background:#C1D8ff;"

! colspan=7 | Source:{{cite news |title=Challenge Cup Round One |work=Rugby Leaguer & League Express |issue=3269 |date=22 March 2021 |pages=20–23}}

Second round

The second round games took place a week after the first round over the weekend of 27/28 March 2021.{{cite news |title=RFL makes Challenge Cup second round draw |url=https://www.totalrl.com/rfl-makes-challenge-cup-second-round-draw/ |access-date=11 February 2021 |work=TotalRL.com |date=11 February 2021}} All four games were shown free-to-air either via BBC services or via The Sportsman.{{cite web |title=Coverage of Betfred Challenge Cup Second Round confirmed |url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/57773/coverage-of-betfred-challenge-cup-second-round-confirmed |website=www.rugby-league.com |publisher=RFL |access-date=22 March 2021 |date=22 March 2021}}

border=1 style="border-collapse:collapse; font-size:90%; text-align:center"; cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 width=100%

|+ style="font-size:100%; font-weight:bold" |Betfred Challenge Cup round 2: results

style="background:#C1D8ff;"

!scope="col" rowspan=2 width=19%|Home

!scope="col" rowspan=2 width=6%|Score

!scope="col" rowspan=2 width=19%|Away

!colspan=4|Match Information

style="background:#CCCCCC;"

!scope="col" width=17%|Date and Time

!scope="col" width=20%|Venue

!scope="col" width=10%|Referee

!scope="col" width=8%|Broadcast method

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|featherstone|12}} Featherstone Rovers

| 30–22

| {{leagueicon|batley|12}} Batley Bulldogs

| 27 March 2021, 12:45pm

| Millennium Stadium

| Gareth Hewer

| The Sportsman

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|swinton|12}} Swinton Lions

| 23–14

| {{leagueicon|oldham|12}} Oldham

| 28 March 2021, 12:30pm

| Heywood Road

| Tom Grant

| BBC Services

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|london broncos|12}} London Broncos

| 2–14

| {{leagueicon|york rlfc|12}} York City Knights

| 28 March 2021, 2:30pm

| The Rock

| Marcus Griffiths

| BBC Services

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|widnes|12}} Widnes Vikings

| 34–10

| {{leagueicon|whitehaven|12}} Whitehaven

| 28 March 2021, 5:00pm

| DCBL Stadium

| Jack Smith

| The Sportsman

style="background:#C1D8ff;"

! colspan=7 | Source:{{cite news |title=Betfred Challenge Cup Round Two |work=Rugby Leaguer & League Express |issue=3270 |date=29 March 2021 |pages=14–15}}

Third round

The draw for the third round was made on Monday 29 March on the BBC Sport website, the draw was made by Oliver Dowden MP, the Secretary of State for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.{{cite news |title=Holders Leeds face Saints in Challenge Cup |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/56563619 |work=BBC Sport |date=29 March 2021}} The matches will be played over the weekend of 10–11 April. As matches are still to be played behind closed doors, all eight ties will be broadcast live.{{cite web |title=Betfred Challenge Cup – Third Round schedule confirmed |url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/57811/betfred-challenge-cup--third-round-schedule-confirmed |website=www.rugby-league.com |publisher=RFL |access-date=30 March 2021 |date=30 March 2021}}

The match between Castleford and Hull Kingston Rovers became one of the longest games in rugby league. With scores tied at 32-all after 80 minutes, the game went to the fourth period of extra time (each period being 5 minutes) and it was not until the 99th minute that a winning score was made when Gareth O'Brien kicked a drop goal to give Castleford the victory.{{cite web |title=Hull KR 32-33 Castleford: Golden point drop goal wins it in fourth period of extra time |url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/hull-kr-32-33-castleford-golden-point-drop-goal-wins-it-in-fourth-period-of-extra-time/ |website=Love Rugby League |access-date=9 April 2021 |date=9 April 2021}}

border=1 style="border-collapse:collapse; font-size:90%; text-align:center"; cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 width=100%

|+ style="font-size:100%; font-weight:bold" |Betfred Challenge Cup round 3: results

style="background:#C1D8ff;"

!scope="col" rowspan=2 width=19%|Home

!scope="col" rowspan=2 width=6%|Score

!scope="col" rowspan=2 width=19%|Away

!colspan=4|Match information

style="background:#CCCCCC;"

!scope="col" width=17%|Date and Time

!scope="col" width=20%|Venue

!scope="col" width=10%|Referee

!scope="col" width=8%|Broadcast method

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|hull kr|12}} Hull KR

| 32–33{{efn|After golden point extra time}}

| {{leagueicon|castleford|12}} Castleford Tigers

| 9 April 2021, 6:00pm

| Craven Park

| Rob Hicks

| Our League

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|york rlfc|12}} York City Knights

| 0–26

| {{leagueicon|wigan|12}} Wigan Warriors

| 9 April 2021, 7:45pm

| York Community Stadium

| Marcus Griffiths

| The Sportsman

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|salford city|12}} Salford Red Devils

| 68–4

| {{leagueicon|widnes|12}} Widnes Vikings

| 10 April 2021, 12:30pm

| AJ Bell Stadium

| Scott Mikalauskas

| Our League

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|st helens|12}} St Helens

| 26–18

| {{leagueicon|leeds|12}} Leeds Rhinos

| 10 April 2021, 2:30pm

| Totally Wicked Stadium

| Ben Thaler

| BBC One

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|catalans|12}} Catalans Dragons

| 26–6

| {{leagueicon|wakefield|12}} Wakefield Trinity

| 10 April 2021, 5:00pm

| Totally Wicked Stadium{{efn|Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions between France and the UK this match is being played at a neutral ground in the UK.}}

| Chris Kendall

| BBC Two

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|featherstone|12}} Featherstone Rovers

| 14–34

| {{leagueicon|hull|12}} Hull F.C.

| 10 April 2021, 7:00pm

| Millennium Stadium

| James Child

| Our League

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|swinton|12}} Swinton Lions

| 8–32

| {{leagueicon|warrington|12}} Warrington Wolves

| 11 April 2021, 12:30pm

| Heywood Road

| Tom Grant

| Our League

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|leigh|12}} Leigh Centurions

|18–36

| {{leagueicon|huddersfield|12}} Huddersfield Giants

| 11 April 2021, 2:30pm

| Leigh Sports Village

| Liam Moore

| Our League

style="background:#C1D8ff;"

! colspan=7 | Source:{{cite news |title=Betfred Challenge Cup Round Three |work=Rugby Leaguer & League Express |issue=3272 |date=12 April 2021 |pages=14–22}}

Quarter-finals

The draw was made live on BBC Two, during the half-time interval of the third round match between Catalans Dragons and Wakefield Trinity. The draw was made by BBC presenter Mark Chapman and former St Helens player Jon Wilkin.{{cite news |last1=Shaw |first1=Matthew |title=Challenge Cup quarter-final draw delivers tasty ties |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/challenge-cup-quarter-final-draw-20361424 |access-date=10 April 2021 |work=Manchester Evening News |date=10 April 2021}} The ties will be played as double-headers on consecutive days at Emerald Headingley, Leeds; Sky Sports will broadcast St Helens v Huddersfield, and Catalans v Warrington on the evening of Friday 7 May, while the BBC will show Hull v Wigan on BBC One, and Castleford v Salford on BBC Two on Saturday 8 May.{{cite web |last1=Hughes |first1=Steven |title=Challenge Cup Quarter-final schedule confirmed |url=https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/challenge-cup-quarter-final-schedule-confirmed-38704/ |website=Serious About Rugby League |access-date=14 April 2021 |date=14 April 2021}}

The match between Castleford Tigers and Salford Red Devils was the second game to go to golden point extra time. With the score 18–12 to Castleford, Lee Mossop scored a try in the last minute, which with the conversion, to levelled the score at 18–18, and send the game to extra time. with less than 2 minutes on the clock, Gareth O'Brien kicked a drop goal to give Castleford the victory.{{cite news |title=Cas seal extra-time win over Salford |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/57012701 |access-date=8 May 2021 |work=BBC Sport |date=8 May 2021}}

border=1 style="border-collapse:collapse; font-size:90%; text-align:center"; cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 width=100%

style="background:#C1D8ff;"

!scope="col" rowspan=2 width=19%|Team A

!scope="col" rowspan=2 width=6%|Score

!scope="col" rowspan=2 width=19%|Team B

!colspan=4|Match information

style="background:#CCCCCC;"

!scope="col" width=17%|Date and Time

!scope="col" width=20%|Venue

!scope="col" width=10%|Referee

!scope="col" width=8%|Broadcast method

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|Catalans|12}} Catalans Dragons

| 6–16

| {{leagueicon|Warrington|12}} Warrington Wolves

| 7 May 2021, 6:00pm

| rowspan=4|Emerald Headingley

| Liam Moore

| rowspan=2|Sky Sports

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|st Helens|12}} St Helens

| 23–18

| {{leagueicon|Huddersfield|12}} Huddersfield Giants

| 7 May 2021, 8:15pm

| James Child

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|Hull|12}} Hull FC

| 20–10

| {{leagueicon|Wigan|12}} Wigan Warriors

| 8 May 2021, 2:30pm

| Robert Hicks

| rowspan=2| BBC Two

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|Castleford|12}} Castleford Tigers

| 19–18{{efn|After golden point extra time}}

| {{leagueicon|Salford city|12}} Salford Red Devils

| 8 May 2021, 5:30pm

| Ben Thaler

style="background:#C1D8ff;"

! colspan=7 | Source:

Semi-finals

The draw for the semi-final was made live on BBC Two, during the half-time interval of the quarter-final match between Castleford Tigers and Salford Red Devils. The draw was made by BBC presenter Mark Chapman, former Leeds Rhinos player Jamie Peacock, and former St Helens player Jon Wilkin.

border=1 style="border-collapse:collapse; font-size:90%; text-align:center"; cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 width=100%

style="background:#C1D8ff;"

!scope="col" rowspan=2 width=19%|Team A

!scope="col" rowspan=2 width=6%|Score

!scope="col" rowspan=2 width=19%|Team B

!colspan=5|Match information

style="background:#CCCCCC;"

!scope="col" width=17%|Date and Time

!scope="col" width=20%|Venue

!scope="col" width=10%|Referee

!scope="col" width=8%|Attendance

!scope="col" width=8%|Broadcast method

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|Hull|12}} Hull FC

| 18–33

| {{leagueicon|st Helens|12}} St Helens

| 5 June 2021, 2:30pm

| rowspan=2|Leigh Sports Village

| Liam Moore

| rowspan=2|{{efn|due to covid restrictions in place at Leigh Sports Village, both sets of teams were given a limited amount of approximately, 600 tickets each to season ticket holders only.{{cite news |title=Leigh Sports Village to Host Challenge Cup Triple Header |url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/58065/leigh-sports-village-to-host-betfred-challenge-cup-triple-header |publisher=RFL |date=12 May 2021}}}}

| BBC One

style="background:#F5FAFF;"

| {{leagueicon|Castleford|12}} Castleford Tigers

| 35–20

| {{leagueicon|Warrington|12}} Warrington Wolves

| 5 June 2021, 5:00pm

| Chris Kendall

| BBC Two

style="background:#C1D8ff;"

! colspan=8 | Source:

Final

{{rugbyleaguebox

|date = 17 July 2021

|time = 15:00 BST (UTC+01:00)

|team1 = Castleford Tigers

|score = 12 – 26

|report = [https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/57828390 report]

|team2 = St Helens

|try1 = Evalds, Trueman

|goal1 = O'Brien (2/2)

|try2 = Fages, Roby, Makinson, Amor

|goal2 = Coote (5/7)

|stadium = Wembley Stadium, London

|attendance =

|referee = Liam Moore

|manofmatch = Niall Evalds (Castleford Tigers)

}}

=Teams=

Castleford Tigers: Evalds, Olpherts, Mata’utia, Shenton, Turner, Trueman, O'Brien, Griffin, McShane, Millington, Holmes, Sene-Lefao, Massey. Interchanges: Watts, Adam Milner, Foster, Smith

St Helens: Coote, Makinson, Naiqama, Percival, Grace, Lomax, Fages, Walmsley, Roby, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Thompson, Batchelor, Knowles. Interchanges: Lees, Amor, Paasi, Welsby

Broadcast matches

All matches in the first four rounds were broadcast live due to ongoing COVID-19 regulations in the United Kingdom requiring the matches to be played behind closed doors. Due to the exceptional circumstances imposed by COVID-19 the RFL made the decision to arrange for every game played behind closed doors to be broadcast live. Normal broadcast partner, the BBC, showed games from rounds one and two via the BBC Sport website or on the BBC Sport app with games from round three were show on terrestrial channels. A new to rugby league broadcaster, The Sportsman's digital services, showed games from all the first three rounds on its website or social media channels. The games that were not picked up by the BBC or The Sportsman's digital services were broadcast by the RFL itself on a pay-per-view basis via the Our League app.{{cite news |last1=Craven |first1=Dave |title=Betfred Challenge Cup and Championship opening fixtures confirmed in streaming bonanza |url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/betfred-challenge-cup-and-championship-opening-fixtures-confirmed-in-streaming-bonanza-3140144 |access-date=2 April 2021 |work=www.yorkshirepost.co.uk |date=19 February 2021}}{{cite web |title=The Sportsman website to kick off live Betfred Challenge Cup Coverage |url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/57726/the-sportsman-website-to-kick-off-live-betfred-challenge-cup-coverage |website=www.rugby-league.com |publisher=RFL |access-date=2 April 2021 |date=9 March 2021}} For the quarter-finals, Sky Sports broadcast two of the four matches with the BBC showing the other two.{{cite web |title=St Helens to face Leigh or Huddersfield in Challenge Cup quarter-final after win over Leeds |url=https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/26126/12271786/st-helens-to-face-leigh-or-huddersfield-in-challenge-cup-quarter-final-after-win-over-leeds |website=Sky Sports |access-date=11 April 2021 |date=10 April 2021}} With the semi-final and the final being broadcast on BBC One and Two this was the first staging of the Challenge Cup in which every tie was broadcast live.