The 2020 Challenge Cup, known as the Coral Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons, was the 119th 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 competition was won by Leeds Rhinos who beat Salford Red Devils 17–16 at Wembley Stadium on 17 October 2020.
Defending champions Warrington Wolves who won the 2019 title beating St Helens 18–4 at Wembley Stadium on 24 August 2019 were knocked out by Salford in the semi-finals.
The format of the competition remained as eight knock-out rounds followed by the final but the schedule was placed into disarray by the COVID-19 pandemic. The final was scheduled to be played on 18 July instead of the August bank holiday weekend. However on 16 March all rugby league games were suspended indefinitely, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. The suspension was followed, on 19 May 2020, with confirmation from the Rugby Football League (RFL) of the postponement of the Challenge Cup Final, which had been scheduled for 18 July at Wembley Stadium. The competition did not resume until 22 August with the final to be played on Saturday 17 October.
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 2020, after also declining to play in previous years. Canadian side Toronto Wolfpack rejoined the competition after declining to play in the 2019 competition and by agreement would play all their matches in away from home. Serbian club, Red Star who played in 2019 declined an invitation to enter in 2020 due to the demands the trip to England made on their players.
Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
On 16 March 2020, the RFL announced that all rugby league games had been suspended initially, until at least April, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, on 24 March, rugby league clubs held a board meeting via conference call, attended in part by senior officials of the Rugby Football League, for further discussion of how to respond to the current public health crisis. It was agreed that until further notice, all rugby league fixtures would be suspended indefinitely.
The competition recommenced with the rescheduling of the sixth round on 22 August, after the RFL announced that rugby league could return from 2 August but with all games to be played behind closed doors. The pandemic caused Toronto Wolfpack to withdraw from the competition on 20 July, and just over a week later, on 28 July, the remaining Championship and League 1 clubs also withdrew from the competition. These withdrawals caused the RFL to reconsider the structure of the competition as only 10 Super League clubs remained in the competition. The decision was made to redraw and restructure the sixth round to comprise just two fixtures with only four teams, with the remaining six teams automatically receiving byes to the quarter-finals.
The suspension of the competition also raised some uncertainty about the availability of Wembley as the venue for the final and it was not until 22 September that Wembley was re-confirmed as the venue for the final of the competition. It was hoped that spectators would be allowed into the final but on 28 September, the RFL confirmed that due to new COVID-19 restrictions being announced that the game will be played behind closed doors for the first time in the history of the competition.
Round details Round Date Revised dates Clubs involved this round Winners from previous round New entries this round Leagues entering at this round Round 1 11–12 January 44 44 37 English amateur clubs One Scottish, one Irish and two Welsh clubs Three Armed Forces teams British Police Round 2 25–26 January 22 22 Round 3 8–9 February 22 11 11 League 1 Round 4 22–23 February 24 11 13 Championship excluding Toulouse Olympique Round 5 14–15 March 16 12 4 Super League teams who finished outside the top eight in 2019; Huddersfield Giants, Hull Kingston Rovers, Toronto Wolfpack and Wakefield Trinity Round 6 4–5 April 22–23 August 16 planned4 actual 8 planned0 actual 8 planned4 actual 2019 Super League top 8 as originally scheduled four Super League teams drawn at random Quarter-finals 9–10 May 19–20 September 8 8 0 planned6 actual Semi-finals 6–7 June 3 October 4 4 Final 18 July 17 October 2 2 Source:
First round The draw for the first round was made at the home of community club Bentley, near Doncaster. Ties were played over the weekend of 11–12 January 2020.
HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendanceSkirlaugh 8–6Hunslet Club Parkside 11 January 2020, 12:30pm Eastside Community Sports TrustRowspan=22 Barrow Island 84–6 Rhondda Outlaws11 January 2020, 1:30pm Barrow Island Rugby ClubThornhill Trojans 22–16Thatto Heath Crusaders Thornhill Sports and Community CentreUnderbank Rangers 22–10Lock Lane Lock Lane Sports Centre Distington 50–10Bedford Tigers11 January 2020, 2:00pm Distington Community Sports ClubEdinburgh Eagles 10–58 Ashton Bears Royal High Rugby ClubFeatherstone Lions 12–24West Bowling Featherstone Lions ARLFCInce Rose Bridge 50–10East Hull Ince Rosebridge Sports and Community Club Milford 47–12Wigan St Judes Milford Sports Club Pilkingtons Recs 18–28West Hull Ruskin Park Health and Leisure CentreRochdale Mayfield 32–12London Chargers Mayfield Sports CentreSiddal 38–0Saddleworth Rangers Siddal ARLFC Upton 30–4Jarrow Vikings Quarry Lane West Bank Bears 26–24Royal Navy Ted Gleave Sports GroundWigan St Patricks 30–14 Dewsbury Moor Clarington Park York Acorn 36–14Hammersmith Hills Hoists Acorn Sports and Social ClubBritish Army 26–10Oulton Raiders11 January 2020, 2:30pm Army Rugby StadiumLeigh Miners Rangers 28–26 Stanningley Leigh Miners Welfare Institute Normanton Knights 30–24 Longhorns12 January 2020, 1:30pm Normanton Amateur Rugby ClubRAF 10–18 Bentley RAF Cranwell Sherwood Wolf Hunt 26–24 Wests Warriors Debdale Sports & Recreational Club GB Police 66–0Torfaen Tigers 12 January 2020, 2:00pm Mayfield Sports Centre Source:
Second round The draw for the 2nd round was made at the studios of BBC Radio Leeds and broadcast live on air. Ties were played over the weekend of 25–26 January 2020.
HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendanceWigan St Patricks 10–30West Hull 25 January 2020, 12:30pm Clarington ParkRowspan=11Thornhill Trojans 58–14 Normanton Knights 25 January 2020, 1:30pm Thornhill Sports & Community Club York Acorn 34–14 Barrow Island 25 January 2020, 1:30pm Acorn Sports & Social ClubBritish Army 17–16Skirlaugh 25 January 2020, 2:00pm Army Rugby Stadium GB Police 18–19Rochdale Mayfield 25 January 2020, 2:00pm Mayfield Sports Club Milford 12–19Ince Rose Bridge 25 January 2020, 2:00pm Milford Sports ClubSiddal 62–4 Ashton Bears 25 January 2020, 2:00pm Siddal ARLFCUnderbank Rangers 28–14 Distington 25 January 2020, 2:00pm The Cross Grounds West Bank Bears 18–20 Bentley 25 January 2020, 2:00pm Ted Gleave Sports GroundLeigh Miners Rangers 26–6 Upton 25 January 2020, 2:30pm Leigh Miners Welfare Institute Sherwood Wolf Hunt 6–38West Bowling 26 January 2020, 1:30pm Debdale Sports & Recreational Club Source:
Third round The draw for the third round was made live from Rochdale Hornets Crown Oil Arena. Ties were played on the weekend of the 8–9 February 2020. Several matches scheduled for 9 February were postponed due to the adverse weather caused by Storm Ciara and played the following weekend.
HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendanceRochdale Mayfield 6–64 North Wales Crusaders 8 February 2020, 12:30pm Mayfield Sports Centre S. Race 229Siddal 10–6West Hull 8 February 2020, 2:00pm Exley Lane J. Stearne 450Thornhill Trojans 20–24 Doncaster RLFC 8 February 2020, 2:00pm Tetley's Stadium A. Sweet Not recordedBritish Army 34–22Ince Rose Bridge 8 February 2020, 2:15pm Aldershot Military Stadium N. Bennett 100Leigh Miners Rangers 20–4 Bentley 8 February 2020, 2:30pm Twist Lane M. Smail 376 West Wales Raiders 8–30Underbank Rangers 9 February 2020, 2:00pm Stebonheath Park J. Jones 50 Hunslet RLFC 36–4 Coventry Bears 9 February 2020, 3:00pm South Leeds Stadium C. Worsley 225 Keighley Cougars 12–16 Newcastle Thunder 15 February 2020, 2:00pm Cougar Park L. Staveley 402 Workington Town 28–22 West Bowling 16 February 2020, 2:00pm Derwent Park K. Moore 950 Barrow Raiders 38–18 London Skolars 16 February 2020, 3:00pm Matt Johnson Prestige Stadium B. Milligan 769 Rochdale Hornets 54–10 York Acorn 16 February 2020, 3:00pm AJ Bell Stadium A. Sweet 200 Source:
Fourth round The draw for the fourth round was made live on BBC Sport, live from Halifax's MBI Shay Stadium. Ties were played over the weekend of 21–23 February 2020. HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Leigh Centurions 36–10 Batley Bulldogs 21 February 2020, 8:00pm Leigh Sports Village M. Rossleigh 1,586 Sheffield Eagles 20–18 Halifax RFC 22 February 2020, 2:00pm Mobile Rocket Stadium J. Vella 429 Siddal A.R.L.F.C. 10–30 Newcastle Thunder 22 February 2020, 2:00pm Siddal ARLFC N. Horton 450 Featherstone Rovers 18–16 Barrow Raiders 22 February 2020, 3:00pm LD Nutrition Stadium A. Moore 1,120 Swinton Lions 56–0 Leigh Miners Rangers 22 February 2020, 3:00pm Heywood Road K. Moore 622 Bradford Bulls 22–0 Underbank Rangers 23 February 2020, 1:00pm Tetley's Stadium C. Worsley 1,458 North Wales Crusaders 18–22 Hunslet RLFC 23 February 2020, 2:30pm Queensway Stadium B. Pearson 249 London Broncos 22–24 York City Knights 23 February 2020, 3:00pm Trailfinders Sports Ground T. Grant 543 Rochdale Hornets 54–10 British Army 23 February 2020, 3:00pm Crown Oil Arena J. McMullen 400 Whitehaven RLFC 16–22 Dewsbury Rams 11 March 2020, 7:00pm Recreation Ground J Smith 427 Widnes Vikings 52–12 Oldham Roughyeds 23 February 2020, 3:00pm DCBL Stadium G. Hewer 1,564 Workington Town 22–12 Doncaster RLFC 23 February 2020, 3:00pm Derwent Park T. Crashley 612 Source:
Fifth round The draw for Round Five was streamed live on BBC Sport and Our League on Monday 24 February at 6.30pm live from Hull Kingston Rovers’ Hull College Craven Park. Rovers were one of four Super League clubs joining the competition at this stage, alongside Huddersfield Giants, Toronto Wolfpack and Wakefield Trinity. Ties were played over the weekend of 14–15 March 2020.
HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Toronto Wolfpack 18–0 Huddersfield Giants 11 March 2020, 7:45pm John Smith's Stadium S Mikalauskas 1,488 Featherstone Rovers 46–6 Hunslet 13 March 2020, 7:30pm LD Nutrition Stadium A Moore 1,002 Wakefield Trinity 17–14 Bradford Bulls 13 March 2020, 7:45pm Mobile Rocket Stadium M Griffiths 3,112 Sheffield Eagles 34–18 Workington Town 15 March 2020, 2:00pm Keepmoat Stadium J Vella 323 Hull Kingston Rovers 22–19 Leigh Centurions 15 March 2020, 3:00pm Hull College Craven Park G Hewer 2,620 Newcastle Thunder 38–30 Dewsbury Rams 15 March 2020, 3:00pm Kingston Park B Pearson 689 Widnes Vikings 32–16 Swinton Lions 15 March 2020, 3:00pm DCBL Stadium T Grant 1,527 York City Knights 70–12 Rochdale Hornets 15 March 2020, 3:00pm LD Nutrition Stadium J Smith 400 Source:
Sixth round The draw for the sixth round was made live from MediaCityUK in Salford on Monday 16 March 2020, and was streamed live on BBC Sport, and the Our League app from 6:00pm. Originally scheduled to be made in New York, the draw was moved due to the COVID-19 pandemic.