Women’s 2026 Challenge Cup format confirmed as major Salford decision made

Louis Chapman Coombe 12 Jan 2026 5:59 PM

The format for the 2026 Women’s Challenge Cup has now been confirmed, with Salford dropping out of the competition.

Just 11 teams have entered the competition this season, including all eight including all eight Women’s Super League teams.

Among the other three, the headline act are Catalans Dragons: who will enter the competition for the first time, with the French outfit to play their home fixtures in England.

As in previous years, the Challenge Cup pool draw has been seeded with one of the top four Women’s Super League teams – Wigan Warriors, St Helens, York Valkyrie and Leeds Rhinos – in each group alongside two teams selected from the remaining eight.

But, due to Salford’s withdrawal from the competition, it means that there is one group of two clubs as opposed to three, with York and Barrow Raiders in Group D.

No matter what happens in their group stage clash, both are already guaranteed of progression into the knockout stages: which began with quarter-finals.

2026 Women’s Challenge Cup format confirmed

There will be three rounds of group fixtures across the competition, taking place over the weekends of April 4-5, 11-12 and 18-19.

The top two teams in each group will progress into the quarter-finals, which take place at the home ground of the team that finished top of their group over the weekend of April 24-26.

This year’s semi-finals will be played as double-headers alongside the men’s competition again, and are scheduled for the weekend of May 9-10.

Then, the showpiece final comes on Saturday, 30 May at Wembley: forming part of Challenge Cup finals day under the arch again.

Group A