A new format for Wheelchair Rugby League’s competitions is confirmed today, with an expanded Championship split over three of three regional conferences in addition to the topflight Betfred Wheelchair Super League.
The Wheelchair Super League will return on Sunday 16 June as a five-team competition, featuring including Halifax Panthers, Hull FC, Leeds Rhinos, London Roosters and reigning champions Wigan Warriors. Each team will play ten rounds of fixtures, with the Grand Final taking place on Sunday 13 October – and shown live on Sky Sports (venue TBC).
Outside the Betfred Wheelchair Super League, 15 clubs will compete in the Wheelchair Championship which will be split across the East, South and West. The three conference leaders will qualify for play-offs with the fourth team coming from a preliminary game between the second placed teams from the Championship East and West.
Many of those Championship teams will also compete in the Wheelchair Challenge Trophy at the National Basketball Performance Centre in Manchester on Sunday 14 April. The event this year is a standalone competition played over one day, with both finalists also earning a spot in a newly revamped Betfred Wheelchair Challenge Cup.
That competition returns as a straight knockout tournament for 2024 with all five Super League teams, current holders Catalans Dragons and the Challenge Trophy qualifiers entered into a draw to determine which club they will face in the opening round on Saturday 20 April. This year’s final will once again take place at Sheffield EIS on Saturday 1 June – and shown live on BBC Sport.
The European Club Championship will place on Saturday 6 April when Wigan Warriors make their triumphant return to Robin Park Arena against the Dragons (KO 6pm) – that blockbuster fixture will be preceded by the annual Wheelchair 4s curtain raiser.
RFL National Social and Inclusion Manager, Chris Godfrey, explains: “Since England’s historic victory at the Wheelchair World Cup we have seen exponential growth in this area of the game which means we now have the capacity to introduce an exciting new play off structure for clubs sitting beneath the Super League.
“This gives those teams a real chance at getting to play with the very best of the Wheelchair game and provides us with a great opportunity to expose different areas of the country to one of the most exhilarating versions of Rugby League.
“As we moved to this new Championship structure, we also thought it was only right that we expand our Challenge Trophy competition and I’m pleased to say that we have 15 clubs signed up to take part this year – the most we have ever had. With the added bonus of a place in the Betfred Wheelchair Challenge Cup up for grabs, it should be a fantastic event.”
Fixtures for both the Betfred Wheelchair Super League and Challenge Cup will be announced in the coming weeks alongside ticketing details for the European Club Championship and Challenge Cup.
