Challenge Cup semi-final expected attendances as one sell-out and one bumper crowd in store

Saturday afternoon’s Challenge Cup semi-final between Wigan Warriors and St Helens is heading for a full house at the Halliwell Jones Stadium – with tickets also moving well for Sunday’s game between Hull KR and Warrington Wolves.

The final four in this year’s competition will square off with spots at Wembley Stadium later this month on the line.

The standout game is undoubtedly the latest instalment of the biggest derby in rugby league, as the Warriors and the Saints do battle in Warrington.

And Love Rugby League has been told that game is now well on course for a sell-out of just over 15,000 supporters, ensuring a bumper crowd and an incredible attendance as the latter stages of the cup take centre stage live on the BBC on Saturday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the defending holders are expected to take a huge army of travelling support to Doncaster’s Eco-Power Stadium, and they will also be joined by a good number from over the Pennines, it seems.

It is understood ticket sales for Sunday’s game currently stand at around 12,000 as of Wednesday afternoon. Hull KR have already confirmed that they have just under 200 tickets remaining in their allocation for the game as they look to reach yet another major final.

But there will also be plenty of Warrington supporters making the trip, as they look to reach the cup final for the third consecutive year.

It means there could be approaching 30,000 supporters across the two games this weekend. The last time that threshold was beaten was all the way back in 2008.

Since then, the highest total was just over 27,500 in 2010 when St Helens defeated Leeds at Huddersfield and Warrington defeated Catalans at Widnes.

But this weekend’s games could set some impressive attendance record it seems, as the crowd boom seen across the game at present continues.

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