The 2025 season was the Wigan Warriors's 45th consecutive season playing in England's top division of rugby league. They competed in the 2025 Super League season, and the 2025 Challenge Cup. Under ordinary circumstances, they would also have contest the 2025 World Club Challenge.
Preseason friendlies
Date and timeVersusH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceReport 19 January; 15:00 Oldham Roughyeds A Boundary Park W 28–16 Dupree, Douglas, Byrne, Forber, Cartwright, Yeomans Eckersley (2/6) 3,028 26 January; 15:00 Leeds Rhinos A Headingley L 4–22 Eckersley Keighran (0/1) 5,055
World Club Challenge
Ahead of the 2024 NRL Grand Final, reports began circulating that the 2025 World Club Challenge would be at risk of being cancelled as teams that could potentially qualify (Penrith Panthers, Warrington Wolves, and Wigan Warriors) would have difficulty arranging travel to either the UK or Australia, then to the United States, with the usual date of the tournament being close to that of the 2025 Rugby League Las Vegas event. Following Penrith's victory in the Grand Final, thus qualification for the tournament, it was revealed that 15 or 16 February would be the latest they would play the tournament, leaving time for travel back to Australia then out to the United States, while also maximising their pre-season, citing player welfare as in issue. However, with this weekend being the opening weekend of the 2025 Super League season, the date was unlikely.
On 9 October 2024, Penrith confirmed to the NRL that they would not play the match before the start of the domestic seasons citing player welfare as the issue stating that their players were delaying their mandated leave to play in the 2024 Rugby League Pacific Championships and 2024 Samoa rugby league tour of England thus not allowing players to have an adequate preseason before the World Club Challenge. The club stated that it was open to working with the NRL for a solution to play the match, but would not as things stand currently.
Following the conclusion of the 2024 Super League Grand Final, Wigan Warriors captain Liam Farrell confirmed the champions' commitment to the 2025 World Club Challenge and stated that the club would be working to ensure the game goes ahead. These words later confirmed by CEO Kris Radlinski.
On 16 October, Radlinski contacted the NRL and Penrith about playing the game during Magic Round (requiring the NRL to schedule one of Penrith's byes for this round), an idea proposed on social media by Penrith's Nathan Cleary two days prior. However this idea never came to fruition with Penrith facing Brisbane in Magic Round.
Date and timeVersusH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceTVReport Not scheduled Penrith Panthers A Western Sydney Stadium Cancelled N/A
Wigan remain world champions by virtue of their victory in the competition in 2024, however did not receive a separate title for 2025 in lieu of Penrith's withdrawal.
Super League
Regular season On 9 July 2024, the club announced they would be part of the 2025 Rugby League Las Vegas event, playing their home match against Warrington Wolves at the Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada. Wigan's matchweek 1, 2, and rival Round fixtures were confirmed on 20 November 2024, with the rest coming the following day. Wigan's opening round match set a record for the highest attendanced opening game of Super League, it also is the only game to have ended 0–0 after 80 minutes in the summer era.
Fixtures
Date and timeRoundVersusH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceTVPos.Report 13 February; 20:00 Round 1 Leigh Leopards H Brick Community Stadium L 0–1 21,748 Sky Sports Action 8th 21 February; 20:00 Round 2 Hull F.C. A MKM Stadium W 46–4 Field (3), Miski, Mago, Forber, Wardle, French Keighran (7/8) 14,751 Sky Sports+ Red Button / Super League+ 5th 1 March, 21:30 (GMT) Round 3(Rugby League Las Vegas) Warrington Wolves N Allegiant Stadium W 48–24 Dupree, Miski, French, Smith, Field, Wardle, Thompson, Marshall Keighran (8/8) 45,209 Sky Sports Main Event 4th 9 March; 13:00 Round 4 Huddersfield Giants H Brick Community Stadium W 44–18 Farrell (2), Eckersley, Marshall, French, Wardle, Field, Leeming Keighran (6/8) 17,625 Sky Sports+ Red Button / Super League+ 4th 22 March; 17:30 Round 5 Leeds Rhinos A Headingley L 10–12 Marshall, French Smith (1/2) 15,966 Sky Sports Main Event 5th 30 March; 15:00 Round 6 Salford Red Devils H Brick Community Stadium W 54–0 Wardle (3), Field (2), Nsemba, Marshall, French, Walters, Eckersley Smith (7/10) 14,262 Sky Sports+ Red Button / Super League + / BBC Red Button (Delayed broadcast) 3rd 11 April; 20:00 Round 7 Hull KR A Craven Park W 28–12 Eckersley, Wardle, Smith, Field, Miski, Smith (4/4) ~10,800 Sky Sports Action 3rd 18 April; 15:00 Round 8(Good Friday) St Helens H Brick Community Stadium W 24–14 Field (2), Miski (2) Smith (3/4 + 1 pen.) 24,294 Sky Sports Main Event 2nd 27 April; 15:00 Round 9 Hull F.C. A MKM Stadium W 36–12 French (2), Field, Nsemba (2), Wardle, Miski Keighran (4/6), Smith (0/1) 11,205 Sky Sports+ Red Button / Super League+ 2nd 4 May; 15:15 Round 10(Magic Weekend) Warrington Wolves N St James' Park W 22–20 Field, French, Miski, Keighran Keighran (3/4) 32,862 Sky Sports Action 2nd 16 May; 20:00 Round 11 Leigh Leopards H Brick Community Stadium W 36–28 Marshall, Wardle, Keighran, Nsemba, Ellis, Eckersley, Leeming Keighran (4/7) 17,449 Sky Sports Action 2nd 24 May; 17:30 (BST) Round 12 Catalans Dragons A Stade Gilbert Brutus W 48–0 Field, Walters, Marshall (2), Leeming, Nsemba, French, Smith Keighran (8/9) 10,103 Sky Sports Action 2nd 30 May, 20:00 Round 13 Salford Red Devils A Salford Community Stadium W 46–6 Field (2), Douglas (3), Eckersley, Keighran, Farrimond Keighran (7/8) Unknown Sky Sports+ Red Button / Super League+ 2nd 14 June; 15:00 Round 14 Huddersfield Giants N Crown Flatt W 22–18 Marshall, Field, Farrimond (2) Keighran (2/3), Marshall (1/1) 4,982 Sky Sports+ Red Button / Super League+ 2nd 20 June; 20:00 Round 15 Wakefield Trinity A Belle Vue L 10–16 Keighran, Field Keighran (1/1) 7,753 Sky Sports+ / Super League+ 2nd 28 June; 20:00 Round 16 Castleford Tigers A Wheldon Road W 26–20 Field, Keighran, Eckersley, Farrell Keighran (4/4 + 1 pen.) Unknown Sky Sports+ Red Button / Super League + / BBC Red Button 2nd 4 July; 20:00 Round 17 Leigh Leopards A Leigh Sports Village L 8–18 Wardle Keighran (1/1 + 1 pen.) 10,375 Sky Sports Action 2nd 11 July; 20:00 Round 18 Huddersfield Giants H Brick Community Stadium W 30–10 Wade, Wardle (2), Dupree, Nsemba Keighran (5/5) 15,175 Sky Sports+ Red Button / Super League+ 2nd 19 July; 15:00 Round 19 Hull F.C. H Brick Community Stadium L 12–32 Wade, Havard Smith (2/2) 14,427 Sky Sports+ Red Button / Super League + / BBC Two 2nd 25 July, 20:00 Round 20 Catalans Dragons H Brick Community Stadium W 28–18 Wardle, Farrimond, Leeming, Eckersley, O’Neill Smith (4/5) 14,760 Sky Sports Mix 2nd 8 August; 20:00 Round 21 Warrington Wolves A Halliwell Jones Stadium W 24–18 O’Neill, Farrimond (2), Farrell, Eckersley Smith (2/5) 12,503 Sky Sports Action 2nd 15 August; 20:00 Round 22 Hull KR H Brick Community Stadium L 6–10 Keighran Keighran (1/1) 20,218 Sky Sports Action 2nd 24 August, 15:00 Round 23 Wakefield Trinity H Brick Community Stadium W 44–2 Keighran, French, Eckersley (2), Nsemba, Field, Marshall, Walters Keighran (1/1), Smith (5/7) 13,932 Sky Sports+ Red Button / Super League+ 2nd 30 August; 20:00 (BST) Round 24 Catalans Dragons A Stade Gilbert Brutus W 40–4 Marshall (3), Field (2), Eckersley (2) Smith (6/7) Unknown Sky Sports Action 2nd 5 September; 20:00 Round 25 St Helens A Totally Wicked Stadium W 18–4 Wardle, Marshall, Field Smith (2/3) Unknown Sky Sports+ 2nd 12 September; 20:00 Round 26 Castleford Tigers H Brick Community Stadium W 62–6 Miski (2), Field (2), Marshall (2), Farrimond (2), Hill, Eckersley, Havard Farrimond (9/11) 15,224 Sky Sports+ Red Button / Super League+ 2nd 19 September; 20:00 Round 27 Leeds Rhinos H Brick Community Stadium W 22–6 Miski, French (2), Wardle Keighran (3/4) 16,268 Sky Sports+ Red Button / Super League+ 2nd
Table
Play-offs
Ahead of Wigan's semi-final, a controversy occurred after Leigh Leopards owner Derek Beaumont informed Wigan Warriors of his intent to boycott the fixture following "unacceptable" ticket allocation for his team's travelling support. This was in spite of Wigan's ticket allocation to Leigh being over double the minimum 10% of ground capacity required by the RFL at 5,400 in a 25,000 capacity stadium. Wigan stated that their allocation was the maximum they could give under the rules of the independent Safety Advisory Group and the club's Ground Safety Officer in addition to a police consultation.
Beaumont alleged that Wigan's statement on the issue was factually incorrect and an intentional attack on character, in addition to accusing Wigan of sharing private WhatsApp messages between the two clubs' CEOs and passing them off as formal correspondence. He further stated that threats to boycott the game came after Wigan cancelled a number of Leigh fans' tickets that were bought in the home stands and that the further ticket allocation was for these fans' safety to ensure these fans were segregated. This was in spite of him downplaying Wigan's safety concerns by citing the absence of safety issues between the two sides in previous games of the season. Beaumont claimed there was an agreement in place for Leigh to have a block in the East and West stands allocated to them if Leigh sold out the North Stand, and claimed he received no reasonable explanation as to why this was no longer the case. He further cited his side's deservace of extra allocation due to Wigan's allocation still being on sale and their previous season's semi-finals not selling out. He also stated his club was preparing for the semi-final as normal.https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/12196/13442833/wigan-warriors-vs-leigh-leopards-what-caused-the-dispute-ahead-of-super-league-semi-final
On the Monday following the tie, Leigh Leopards made an official complaint to the RFL over the aforementioned build up and Wigan's stewarding before and during the game.
Date and timeRoundVersusH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceTVReport 3 October; 20:00 Semi-finals Leigh Leopards H Brick Community Stadium W 18–6 French (2), Walters Keighran (2/3 + 1 pen.) 18,523 Sky Sports+ 11 October; 18:00 Grand Final Hull KR N Old Trafford L 6–24 Smith Keighran (0/1 + 1 pen.) 68,853 Sky Sports Main Event
Challenge Cup
On 25 June 2024, the RFL announced a change to the Challenge Cup format totalling 7 rounds compared to the previous 9, and Super League teams entering at round 3. Wigan were drawn away to Sheffield Eagles on 14 January 2025.
Date and timeRoundVersusH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceTVReport 7 February; 19:30 Round 3 Sheffield Eagles A Olympic Legacy Park W 48–12 Field, French, Byrne, Eckersley, Walters, Keighran, Nsemba, Ellis Keighran (8/8) 1,244 Not Televised 15 March: 17:45 Round 4 Hull F.C. H Brick Community Stadium L 22–26 Eckersley, Field, Nsemba, Farrell Smith (3/4 + 1 pen.) 9,287 BBC Red Button
Transfers Gains Player Club Contract Date George Hirst Oldham Roughyeds 2 years + 1 year October 2024 Christian Wade Gloucester Rugby Until end of season April 2025
Losses Player Club Contract Date Mike Cooper colspan="2" on medical advice September 2024 Ryan HampshireFree Agent October 2024 George Hirst Oldham Roughyeds 1 Year Loan October 2024 Ryan Brown Leigh Leopards 2 Years October 2024 Reagan Sumner Widnes Vikings 1 Year November 2024 Willie Isa colspan="2" January 2025 Tiaki Chan Salford Red Devils 1 Year Loan January 2025
Squad
See also 2025 Wigan Warriors Women season
Notes
References