2025 Challenge Cup final
{{Short description|Rugby league match in the United Kingdom}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox rugby league football match
|year = 2025
|title = Challenge Cup final
|image = London Wembley.jpg
|caption = The match took place at Wembley Stadium
|alt = Aerial view of large stadium with an arch spanning the roof.
|home = Warrington Wolves
|away = Hull KR
|home_abbr = {{leagueicon|Warrington|12}} WAR
|away_abbr = {{leagueicon|Hull KR|12}} HKR
|home_half1 = 6
|home_half2 = 0
|home_total = 6
|away_half1 = 2
|away_half2 = 6
|away_total = 8
|date = 7 June 2025, 15:00
|location = London, United Kingdom
|MoM_title = Lance Todd Trophy
|MoM = Marc Sneyd
|anthem_title = God Save The King
and Abide with Me
|anthem = Lizzie Jones
|referee = Liam Moore
|attendance = 63,278
|stadium = Wembley Stadium
|network = {{flagicon|UK}} BBC One
{{flagicon|AUS}} Fox Sports
{{flagicon|CAN}} Rogers
{{flagicon|USA}} Fox Sports
|commentators =
|commentators2=
|commentators3=
|tournaments = Finals
|last = 2024
|next = 2026
}}
The 2025 Challenge Cup final was the 124th final of the Rugby Football League's Challenge Cup knock-out competition. The final was contested by Warrington Wolves and Hull Kingston Rovers.
Background
The Warrington Wolves returned to the Challenge Cup Final following their defeat to the Wigan Warriors in the 2024 Challenge Cup final. Their most recent Challenge Cup victory was in 2019, when they defeated St Helens to win their ninth title. Warrington qualified for the cup final placed seventh in the 2025 table.
By comparison, the 2025 Challenge Cup final will be Hull Kingston Rovers' ninth final, having lost to the Leigh Leopards in a golden point finish at the 2023 Challenge Cup final. Their only win of their previous nine was a Hull Derby victory in 1979–80. Hull Kingston Rovers, who finished second in the 2024 Super League table and were also runners-up at the 2024 Super League Grand Final, qualified for the cup final placed first in the 2025 table.
Route to the final
=Warrington Wolves=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center; width: 75%;" |
| scope="col" style="width:20%"|Round
!scope="col" style="width:30%"|Opposition !scope="col" style="width:30%"|Venue !scope="col" style="width:20%"|Score |
|---|
| Round 3
| {{leagueicon|Whitehaven|16}} Whitehaven R.L.F.C. |
| Round 4
| {{leagueicon|Widnes|16}} Widnes Vikings |
| Quarter-final
| {{leagueicon|St Helens|16}} St Helens |
| Semi-final
| {{leagueicon|Leigh|16}} Leigh Leopards |
=Hull Kingston Rovers=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center; width: 75%;" |
| scope="col" style="width:20%"|Round
!scope="col" style="width:30%"|Opposition !scope="col" style="width:30%"|Venue !scope="col" style="width:20%"|Score |
|---|
| Round 3
| {{leagueicon|York RLFC|16}} York Knights |
| Round 4
| {{leagueicon|Oldham|16}} Oldham R.L.F.C. |
| Quarter-final
| {{leagueicon|Hull FC|16}} Hull F.C. |
| Semi-final
| {{leagueicon|Catalans|16}} Catalans Dragons |
Pre-match
Ten years from her first appearance singing the anthems at the 2015 Challenge Cup Final in tribute to her husband and Keighley Cougars player Danny Jones, Lizzie Jones sang Abide with Me and God Save the King ahead of the match. Pre-match entertainment was also provided by Capital XTRA DJ Kennedy Taylor.{{cite web |title=Lizzie Jones MBE to sing before the Men's Betfred Challenge Cup Final |url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/63790/lizzie-jones-mbe-to-sing-before-the-mens-betfred-challenge-cup-final |website=rugby-league.com |access-date=23 May 2025 |date=15 May 2025}}
Wembley hosted the 2025 RFL Champion Schools final, known as the Steven Mullaney Memorial Game, which saw St Helens' Rainford High School rugby league team beat Kingston upon Hull's Sirius Academy West team 40–0, marking a record scoreline for the 50th iteration of the final.{{cite news |last1=Hodgson |first1=Phil |title=Rainford earn record win in Boys Year 7 final at Wembley |url=https://www.totalrl.com/rainford-earn-record-win-in-boys-year-7-final-at-wembley/ |access-date=7 June 2025 |work=Total Rugby League |date=7 June 2025}}
Wigan Warriors Women and St Helens Women, the latter winning the 2024 final, played in the preceding women's final. Wigan defeated St Helens 42–6 to claim their first Challenge Cup.{{cite news |last1=Olawumi |first1=Ben |title=Wigan Warriors' remarkable rise reaches new heights with St Helens Challenge Cup triumph |url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/wigan-warriors-remarkable-rise-reaches-new-heights-with-st-helens-challenge-cup-triumph |access-date=9 June 2025 |work=Love Rugby League |date=7 June 2025}}
Match details
{{rugbyleaguebox|bg=#f1f5fc
|date=Saturday, 7 June 2025
|team1={{nowrap|{{leagueicon|Warrington|12}} Warrington Wolves}}
|score= 6–8
|report= [https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/articles/cn4qdpnq32wo report]
|team2={{leagueicon|Hull KR|12}} Hull KR
|try1=Thewlis {{small|39'}}
|goal1=Sneyd {{small|40'}}
|try2=Davies {{small|78'}}
|goal2=Lewis {{small|26'(pen), 79'}}
|stadium=Wembley Stadium, London
|referee= Liam Moore
|referee2= Jack Smith (video referee)
|touch = {{nowrap|Marcus Griffiths and Richard Thompson}}
|attendance=63,278
}}
=Teams=
{{Rugby league match squad
| collapsed = n
| align = left
| awayteam = Hull KR
| awayBorder = red
| awayBGcolour = red
| awayFGcolour = white
| hometeam = Warrington Wolves
| homeBorder = blue
| homeBGcolour = blue
| homeFGcolour = #ffff00
| squadsize = 18
| location = N
| abbr = y
| homeCoach = {{nowrap|Sam Burgess}}
| homeFB = {{nowrap|Matt Dufty {{suboff|75}}}}
| homeFB1num = 1
| homeWG1 = {{nowrap|Josh Thewlis}}
| homeWG1num = 2
| homeCE1 = {{nowrap|Toby King}}
| homeCE1num = 3
| homeCE2 = {{nowrap|Rodrick Tai}}
| homeCE2num = 4
| homeWG2 = {{nowrap|Arron Lindop}}
| homeWG2num = 33
| homeSO = {{nowrap|George Williams}}
| homeSOnum = 6
| homeSH = {{nowrap|Marc Sneyd}}
| homeSHnum = 35
| homePR1 = {{nowrap|Luke Yates {{suboff|29}}, {{subon|59}}}}
| homePR1num = 13
| homeHK = {{nowrap|Sam Powell {{suboff|33}}, {{subon|48}}}}
| homeHKnum = 14
| homePR2 = {{nowrap|Paul Vaughan {{suboff|29}}, {{subon|54}}, {{suboff|75}}}}
| homePR2num = 10
| homeSR1 = Adam Holroyd
| homeSR1num = 21
| homeSR2 = Ben Currie
| homeSR2num = 11
| homeLF = Lachlan Fitzgibbon
| homeLFnum = 12
| homeIN1 = {{nowrap|James Harrison {{subon|29}}, {{suboff|59}}, {{subon|75}}}}
| homeINnum = 8
| homeIN2 = {{nowrap|Joe Philbin {{subon|29}}, {{suboff|48}}}}
| homeIN2num = 15
| homeIN3 = {{nowrap|Jordan Crowther {{subon|33}}, {{suboff|54}}}}
| homeIN3num = 17
| homeIN4 = {{nowrap|Stefan Ratchford {{subon|75}}}}
| homeIN4num = 19
| homeIN5 = Max Wood (not used)
| homeIN5num = 24
| awayCoach = {{nowrap|Willie Peters}}
| awayFB = Jack Broadbent
| awayFBnum = 18
| awayWG1 = {{nowrap|Tom Davies}}
| awayWG1num = 2
| awayCE1 = Peta Hiku
| awayCE1num = 3
| awayCE2 = {{nowrap|James Batchelor}}
| awayCE2num = 12
| awayWG2 = Joe Burgess
| awayWG2num = 5
| awaySO = {{nowrap|Mikey Lewis}}
| awaySOnum = 6
| awaySH = Tyrone May
| awaySHnum = 7
| awayPR1 = {{nowrap|Sauaso Sue {{suboff|29}}, {{subon|52}}, {{suboff|59}}}}
| awayPR1num = 8
| awayHK = {{nowrap|Michael McIlorum {{suboff|29}}}}
| awayHKnum = 14
| awayPR2 = {{nowrap|Jared Waerea-Hargreaves {{suboff|22}}, {{subon|75}}}}
| awayPR2num = 10
| awaySR1 = Dean Hadley
| awaySR1num = 11
| awaySR2 = {{nowrap|Jai Whitbread {{suboff|73}}}}
| awaySR2num = 16
| awayLF = Elliot Minchella
| awayLFnum = 13
| awayIN1 = {{nowrap|Jez Litten {{subon|29}}}}
| awayIN1num = 9
| awayIN2 = {{nowrap|Sam Luckley {{subon|29}}, {{suboff|52}}, {{subon|73}}}}
| awayIN2num = 15
| awayIN3 = {{nowrap|Kelepi Tanginoa {{subon|22}}}}
| awayIN3num = 20
| awayIN4 = {{nowrap|Jack Brown {{subon|59}}, {{suboff|75}}}}
| awayIN4num = 21
| awayIN5 = Eribe Doro (not used)
| awayIN5num = 24
| source =
}}
{{clear}}
Post match
File:Hull Kingston Rovers 2025 Challenge Cup Victory Parade Elliot Minchella Trophy Lift 01.jpg and the Hull Kingston Rovers squad celebrate lifting the Challenge Cup at Hull City Hall]]
The 2025 RFL 1895 Cup final between Featherstone Rovers and York Knights took place following the men's final, seeing York defeat Featherstone in golden point extra time 5–4.{{cite news |title=York pip Featherstone in extra time to win 1895 Cup |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/articles/cm26dp2l3vvo |access-date=9 June 2025 |work=BBC Sport |date=7 June 2025}} A victory parade was held on a boat travelling along York's River Ouse the following day.{{cite news |title=York Knights celebrate magnificent cup win with trophy parade |url=https://yorkmix.com/york-knights-celebrate-magnificent-cup-win-with-trophy-parade/ |access-date=9 June 2025 |work=YorkMix |date=8 June 2025}}
Also a day after their final, Hull Kingston Rovers held a victory parade from their home stadium at Craven Park to Hull City Hall.{{cite news |last=Madden |first=Richard |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn0gnqllpxlo |title=In pictures: Hull KR Challenge Cup victory parade |work=BBC News |date=8 June 2025 |access-date=9 June 2025}}
The final had a peak UK television viewership of 1.2 million.{{cite news |last=Ibbetson |first=Stephen |url=https://www.totalrl.com/challenge-cup-final-tv-ratings-revealed-with-increase-on-2024/ |title=BBC's Challenge Cup TV ratings revealed with increase on 2024 |work=Total Rugby League |date=8 June 2025 |access-date=9 June 2025}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{2025 in rugby league}}
{{Challenge Cup}}
{{Hull Kingston Rovers - 2025 Challenge Cup Final winners}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Challenge Cup Final}}