The 2019 Challenge Cup known as the Coral Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons, is the 118th staging of the Challenge Cup, the main rugby league knockout tournament for teams in the Super League, the British National Leagues and a number of invited amateur clubs.
The defending champions were Catalans Dragons, who beat Warrington Wolves 20–14 at Wembley Stadium on 25 August 2018, to become the first non-British team to win the challenge cup in its 117-year history. However, they were eliminated in the quarter-finals after a 51–8 defeat, away to Hull F.C.
The format of the competition will be eight knock-out rounds followed by the final. The final will be held on the August bank holiday weekend, and from 2020 the final will move to July, but will still be played at Wembley Stadium. The day of the final will see three matches played back-to-back, with the Challenge Cup final being preceded by the Steven Mullaney Memorial Match (the RFL Champion Schools Final for Year 7s), and the final of the newly announced 1895 Cup for clubs in the Championship and League 1.
A new sponsorship deal was announced in January 2019, with Coral replacing Ladbrokes (although both are part of the Ladbrokes Coral group).
Round details Round Date Clubs involved this round Winners from previous round New entries this round Leagues entering at this round Round 1 26–27 January 52 n/a 52 44 English amateur clubs Scottish, Welsh & Irish champions 3 Armed Forces teams British Police Serbian champions Round 2 9–10 February 26 26 n/a Round 3 9–10 March 24 13 11 League 1 Round 4 30–31 March 24 12 12* Championship Round 5 13–14 April 16 12 4 2018 Super League Qualifiers top 4 Round 6 9–12 May 16 8 8 2018 Super League top 8 Quarter-finals 1–2 June 8 8 n/a Semi-finals 27 July 4 4 n/a Final 24 August 2 2 n/a Source:
*Toulouse Olympique and Toronto Wolfpack declined to participate in the competition.
Entry Entry into the Cup is mandatory for the English and Welsh professional teams, but is by invitation for all other clubs, either professional or amateur. French side Toulouse declined to enter for 2019, after also declining to play in the 2018 competition. Canadian side Toronto Wolfpack also declined to enter for 2019, after both clubs were presented with a demand by the Rugby Football League (RFL) for roughly £750,000 (€830,000; C$1,226,000 approximately) as a bond insurance against reduced ticket sales, if either team reached the final.
In January 2019 it was revealed that defending champions, Catalans Dragons, had also been asked to pay a £500,000 (€553,000) bond to enter the competition. Catalans informed the RFL, that the club had no intention of paying, leading to the possibility, that for the first time ever, the competition would take place without the defending champions being in the tournament. However, after settling their dispute with the RFL, it was confirmed that they would be defending their title.
The first and second rounds of the competition are competed for solely by amateur teams, and for 2019, 51 British based teams are joined by Serbian side Red Star in the draw for the first round of the cup. Red Star's entry is on condition that they play away from home in the first and second rounds (assuming victory in the first round). The 51 amateur clubs are 47 British teams together with four teams representing the armed forces and the British police. This season will be the first since the 1990s, that no student sides will be playing in the competition.
First round The draw was made on 14 December 2018 at Headingley Rugby Stadium and was streamed live on the BBC Sport website. The home teams were drawn by Leeds Rhinos Women captain Lois Forsell and the away teams by Bradford Bulls coach John Kear. Ties are to be played over the weekend of 26/27 January 2019.
HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Bentley RLFC 18–16 British Army 26 January 2019, 14:00 Scawthorpe Social Club J. Stearne Bradford Dudley Hill 0–16 Milford 26 January 2019, 14:00 Neil Hunt Memorial Ground A. Moore Clock Face Miners 0–24 Siddal 26 January 2019, 14:00 Clock Face Miners Recreation Club C. Etchells Dewsbury Moor 24–10 Skirlaugh 26 January 2019, 14:00 Heckmondwike Road T. Arnold Distington 48–0 Torfaen Tigers 26 January 2019, 14:00 Grass Rpoad L. Rush Drighlington 32–4 All Golds 26 January 2019, 14:00 Wakefield Road D. Arnold East Leeds 24–10 Batley Boys 26 January 2019, 14:00 Richmond Hill A. Billington Hunslet Club Parkside 16–30 Thornhill Trojans 26 January 2019, 14:00 Hillidge Road G. Houston Hunslet Warriors 16–28 Featherstone Lions 26 January 2019, 14:00 The Oval K. Moore Kells 4–14 Rochdale Mayfield 26 January 2019, 14:00 Old Arrowthwaite A. Sweet London Chargers 6–34 Wath Brow Hornets 26 January 2019, 14:00 Clapham Common L. Staveley Normanton Knights 50–16 Edinburgh Eagles 26 January 2019, 14:00 Queen Elizabeth Drive J. Jones Orrell St James 12–30 Underbank Rangers 26 January 2019, 14:00 Bankes Avenue T. Jones Ovenden 22–20 Woolston Rovers 26 January 2019, 14:00 Four Fields H. Neville Royal Navy 12–42 West Hull 26 January 2019, 14:00 US Sports Ground S. Race Shaw Cross Sharks 18–28 Haydock 26 January 2019, 14:00 Leeds Road J Seymour Thatto Heath Crusaders 32–6 Stanningley 26 January 2019, 14:00 Hattons Solicitors Crusader Park E. McCarthy West Bowling 42–12 Hammersmith Hills Hoists 26 January 2019, 14:00 Emsley Recreation Ground J. Butterfield Wigan St Judes 15–14 Crosfields 26 January 2019, 14:00 Keats Avenue N. Woodward York Acorn 42–4 Beverley 26 January 2019, 14:00 Thanet Road P. Parker Leigh East 12–24 Wigan St Patricks 26 January 2019, 14:30 Leigh Sports Village S. Chromiak Leigh Miners Rangers 22–10 Oulton Raiders 26 January 2019, 14:30 Twist Lane R. Dolan Wallsend Eagles 18–44 British Police 26 January 2019, 14:30 Benfield Sports Centre S. Ellis North Herts Crusaders 6–22 Royal Air Force 27 January 2019, 13:00 King George V field, Hitchin C. Astbury Lock Lane 16–10 Longhorns 27 January 2019, 13:30 Hicksons Arena T. Crashley Millom 38–10 Red Star Belgrade 27 January 2019, 13:30 Coronation Field B. Milligan Source:
Second round
The draw was made on 28 January 2019 at Wigan St Patricks and was streamed live on the BBC Sport website. The home teams were drawn by Leigh Centurions captain Mickey Higham and the away teams by Wigan Warriors halfback George Williams. Ties are to be played over the weekend of 9–10 February 2019.
HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Distington 14–6 Royal Air Force 9 February 2019, 14:00 Grass Road D. Arnold Drighlington 16–20 Wigan St Judes 9 February 2019, 14:00 Wakefield Road S. Chromiak East Leeds 16–20 Dewsbury Moor 9 February 2019, 14:00 Richmond Hill A. Gill Milford 22–28 Lock Lane 9 February 2019, 14:00 Milford Sports Club A. Moore Millom 0–26Siddal 9 February 2019, 14:00 Coronation Field A. Billington Normanton Knights 22–32 Haydock 9 February 2019, 14:00 Queen Elizabeth Drive P. Parker Ovenden 18–38West Bowling 9 February 2019, 14:00 Four Fields T. Arnold Thatto Heath Crusaders 36–6 Leigh Miners Rangers 9 February 2019, 14:00 Close Street N. Horton Thornhill Trojans 20–30Rochdale Mayfield 9 February 2019, 14:00 Overthorpe Park J. Jones Underbank Rangers 26–30 Featherstone Lions 9 February 2019, 14:00 Dunford Road E. McCarthy Wath Brow Hornets 8–9 York Acorn 9 February 2019, 14:00 Trumpet Road C. Etchells West Hull 36–0 Bentley 9 February 2019, 14:00 West Hull Community Park J. Turner Wigan St Patricks 28–20 British Police 10 February 2019, 14:30 Clarington Park T. Jones Source:
Third round The draw for the third round was made at St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry on 11 February and shown live on the BBC Sport website. The draw was made by Coventry born athletes Kare Adenegan and David Moorcroft. During the draw ball number six (Haydock) was announced wrongly as number nine (Lock Lane) and vice versa. The RFL later confirmed that the draw would be as the balls drawn and not as they were announced.
HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Doncaster 38–16 Coventry Bears 8 March 2019, 19:45 Keepmoat Stadium N. Bennett 381 Thatto Heath Crusaders 30–24 Rochdale Mayfield 9 March 2019, 14:00 Close Street P. Marklove 350 (est) Wigan St Judes 4–24 Lock Lane 9 March 2019, 14:00 Keats Avenue C. Smith 300 (est) York Acorn 10–20 Featherstone Lions 9 March 2019, 14:00 Thanet Road J. Stearne 385 Newcastle Thunder 48–0 West Wales Raiders 9 March 2019, 14:30 Kingston Park L. Staveley 329 Hunslet 56–10 West Bowling 9 March 2019, 15:00 South Leeds Stadium M. Smaill 399 London Skolars 18–31 North Wales Crusaders 10 March 2019, 14:00 New River Stadium B. Pearson 170 West Hull 26–10 Dewsbury Moor 10 March 2019, 14:30 West Hull Community Park A. Sweet 92 Keighley Cougars 28–14 Distington 10 March 2019, 15:00 Cougar Park S. Race 508 Oldham 80–10 Haydock 10 March 2019, 15:00 Vestacare Stadium A. Moore 508 Whitehaven 74–4 Wigan St Patricks 10 March 2019, 15:00 Recreation Ground C. Worsley 464 Workington Town 22–0 Siddal 17 March 2019, 15:00 Derwent Park B. Pearson 355 Source:
Fourth round The draw for the fourth round was made at Odsal Stadium, home of the Bradford Bulls on 12 March and shown live on the BBC Sport website. The draw was made by former Bradford player Robbie Hunter-Paul and Simon Foster, son of former player Trevor Foster.
HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Featherstone Rovers 38–14 Swinton Lions 30 March 2019, 14:00 LD Nutrition Stadium L. Moore 691 Thatto Heath Crusaders 16–14 North Wales Crusaders 30 March 2019, 14:30 Crusader Park J. McMullen 737 Featherstone Lions 6–46 Doncaster 31 March 2019, 14:00 LD Nutrition Stadium A. Sweet not recorded Keighley Cougars 12–14 Bradford Bulls 31 March 2019, 14:45 Cougar Park M. Griffiths 1,881 Barrow Raiders 16–32 York City Knights 31 March 2019, 15:00 Craven Park G. Hewer 898 Batley Bulldogs 62–6 Lock Lane 31 March 2019, 15:00 The Fox's Biscuit Stadium N. Bennett 501 Dewsbury Rams 32–6 West Hull 31 March 2019, 15:00 Tetley's Stadium C. Worsley 366 Hunslet 24–28 Halifax 31 March 2019, 15:00 South Leeds Stadium B. Pearson 731 Oldham 14–54 Widnes Vikings 31 March 2019, 15:00 Bower Fold J. Smith 1,247 Sheffield Eagles 12–34 Leigh Centurions 31 March 2019, 15:00 Olympic Legacy Park G. Dolan 596 Whitehaven 21–22 Rochdale Hornets 31 March 2019, 15:00 Recreation Ground M. Rossleigh 889 Workington Town 21–20 Newcastle Thunder 31 March 2019, 15:00 Derwent Park T. Crashley 590 Source:
Fifth round The fifth round ties were drawn on 1 April and shown live on BBC Sport. The home teams were drawn by Linzi Prescott (widow of Steve Prescott) and the away teams by Martin Offiah. Ties will be played over the weekend of 11–14 April.
HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Halifax 24–16 London Broncos 11 April 2019, 19:30 The Shay T. Grant 722 Hull Kingston Rovers 14–10 Leigh Centurions 11 April 2019, 19:30 KCOM Craven Park L. Moore 2,188 Leeds Rhinos 78–6 Workington Town 12 April 2019, 19:45 Emerald Headingley M. Griffiths 4,197 Salford Red Devils 76–6 Rochdale Hornets 12 April 2019, 19:45 AJ Bell Stadium G. Dolan 1,101 Widnes Vikings 44–12 York City Knights 13 April 2019, 19:30 Select Security Stadium J. Smith 2,229 Bradford Bulls 27–26 Featherstone Rovers 14 April 2019, 15:00 Odsal Stadium M.Rossleigh 1,691 Doncaster 16–12 Batley Bulldogs 14 April 2019, 15:00 Keepmoat Stadium B. Pearson 539 Thatto Heath Crusaders 10–36 Dewsbury Rams 14 April 2019, 15:00 Crusader Park C. Worsley 1,000 (est) Source:
Sixth round The draw for the sixth round was made on 15 April 2019. Originally planned to be shown live on the BBC News Channel, the coverage was displaced due to ongoing coverage of the Notre-Dame de Paris fire and instead was restricted to live streaming on the BBC Sport website. The home teams were drawn by Paul Sculthorpe and the away teams by Jon Wilkin. Ties will be played over the weekend of 10–12 May.