RL Commercial today confirms the details for the 2025 Betfred Challenge Cup Semi Finals – including a new venue for this stage of the competition – after a record-breaking Quarter Final weekend.
York’s LNER Community Stadium will stage its first men’s Challenge Cup Semi Final when Hull KR face Catalans Dragons on Saturday May 10 (230pm kick-off).
The following day, Warrington Wolves will face Leigh Leopards at the Totally Wicked Stadium in St Helens (415pm kick-off).
Both matches will be shown live by BBC Sport.
Details of the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup Semi Finals will be confirmed ahead of the Quarter Finals which are on the weekend of April 26-27.
Each of the four men’s Semi Finalists will publish details about ticket sales for their own supporters today, with demand for both matches expected to be strong – maintaining the upward trend of the Betfred Challenge Cup this year.
With Super League clubs entering at an earlier stage in the last 32, attendances have been well up for both the Third and Fourth Round on the equivalent stage of the competition in 2024 – almost 35% up in the Fourth Round on the last 16 last year.
And Saturday’s official attendance of 20,226 at the MKM Stadium for the first Hull derby in the Challenge Cup for 39 years was the highest crowd for a Quarter Final or for any stand-alone tie outside the Final since a 1989 Quarter Final between Leeds and Widnes at Headingley.
It was also Hull FC’s highest post-War home crowd in the Challenge Cup – while the aggregate attendance across the four Quarter Finals was 36.7% up on the 2024 figures.
The cumulative peak audience for the two Quarter Finals shown by BBC Sport – the Hull derby on Saturday, and Warrington v St Helens on Sunday – was over 1.1m, and Friday’s tie between Wakefield Trinity and Leigh Leopards attracted record viewing figures for SuperLeague+, RL Commercial’s streaming platform.
Digital impressions were up more than 120% on the figures for the 2024 Quarter Finals (4.7m), with engagements 269% up, video views 314% up, and a 39% increase in follower growth.
Ticket and hospitality sales for Challenge Cup Finals Day at Wembley on Saturday June 7 are also tracking well ahead of the equivalent position in 2024.
Saturday 7 June is Betfred Challenge Cup Finals Day 2025 – also including the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup Final, AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Final, and RFL Champion Schools Year 7 Boys Final. Tickets are on sale now!
