Challenge Cup finals draw lower than expected attendance

A crowd of just 56,383 was at Wembley for this year's Challenge Cup finals as Wigan Warriors claimed victory in both the men's and women's competitions; a crowd of around 60,000 was predicted, but the actual attendance fell well short of that; excluding the Covid-affected 2020 and 2021 finals, this is the second-lowest official attendance since the Challenge Cup final returned to the redeveloped Wembley in 2007

Marc Bazeley

May 30, 2026

Picture by Simon Wilkinson/SWpix.com - 30/05/2026 - Rugby League - Betfred Challenge Cup Final - Wigan Warriors v Hull KR - Wembley Stadium, London, England - A general view (GV) of Hull KR and Wigan coming out to the field of play to pyrotechnics and fireworks.

IT is difficult to know what is more pathetic.

Is it the fact this year’s Challenge Cup finals drew well below the predicted 60,000 crowd?

Or is it the fact either the RFL or RL Commercial chose not to announce the Wembley attendance and then tried to bury it by slipping it out quietly in the match report on its website?

We’ll let you, dear reader, make your own mind up on that.

But either way, the fact only 56,383 were in attendance at the 90,000 seater national stadium for one of rugby league’s showpiece occasions, featuring arguably the two best men’s teams in the country, should set alarm bells ringing rather loudly.

Yes, extenuating circumstances can be argued: A not insignificant number of Hull KR’s fans have already paid for a trip to watch their team in Las Vegas this year, and plenty of Wigan supporters will have done likewise for next week’s Super League showdown with Catalans Dragons in Paris.

Yet none of those change the fact this was the second-lowest official attendance – excluding the 2020 and 2021 Covid pandemic-affected matches – since the Challenge Cup final returned to the redeveloped Wembley in 2007.

Only Catalans’ historic win over Warrington, which saw 50,672 in attendance, was lower – and even then they had the gumption to announce it in the venue.

The attendance will undoubtedly intensify the argument the Challenge Cup final should be moved away from Wembley after 2027, when the current contract with the national stadium expires.

But given Wigan’s thrilling win over Huddersfield Giants at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2022 only drew 51,628, it might not be an issue with the venue which is affecting the attraction of what was once rugby league’s grandest day out.