THE seventh 1895 Cup Final will take place today, Bank Holiday Monday, at 3.00pm at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, the home of Warrington Wolves, where the Championship’s league leaders London Broncos will take on former cup Kings Widnes Vikings.
Both sides have earned their place in the final after emphatic wins in the semis – with the Vikings securing their spot with a comprehensive 52-0 victory against Rochdale Hornets on home soil, whilst the Broncos cruised past Midlands Hurricanes on the road, 24-62.
Widnes featured in the inaugural 1895 Cup Final against Sheffield Eagles in 2019, suffering a 36-18 defeat.
Only five players remain from that 2019 team – Jay Chapelhow, Tom Gilmore, Jordan Johnstone, Jack Owens and Sam Wilde.
Widnes will become just the fourth club to appear in an 1895 Cup Final twice – only Sheffield, Featherstone Rovers and York Knights have achieved this feat before.
Meanwhile, London will be making their debut in the final and are aiming to add another piece of silverware to their cabinet in 2026.
Jason Demetriou’s star-studded team has dominated the Championship competition this season, enduring just one defeat and scoring a record-breaking 1,445points.
As a result, they were crowned League Leaders’ Shield winners last Sunday.
And there’s set to be a new name on the 1895 Cup once again this year, with the previous six finals having had six different winners (Sheffield, Featherstone, Leigh Centurions (now Leopards), Halifax Panthers, Wakefield Trinity and York).
Today’s finalists have already met twice in 2026. It was a comfortable 44-12 victory for the Broncos in the opening Championship round of the season.
More recently, however, Widnes pushed their opponents all the way in a thrilling points fest, mounting a late comeback but falling just short (42-36).
SQUADS
Broncos: Elliot Wallis, Robert Mathias, Alex Max, Connor O’Beirne, Dean Hawkins, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Sam Davis, Emarly Bitungane, Luke Smith, Jack Croft, Siliva Havili, Finley Glare, Sadiq Adebiyi, Epel Kapinias, Marcus Stock, Ben Hursey-Hord, Brandon Webster-Mansfield, Alex Walker, Gaira Voro, Leiws Bienek, Neil Tchamambe
Vikings: Mike Butt, Jack Owens, Ryan Ince, Joe Lyons, Tom Gilmore, Dan Murray, Jordan Johnstone, Sam Wilde, Max Roberts, Nick Gregson, Matty Fozard, Lewis Hall, Danny Langtree, Danny Richardson, Morgan McWhirter, Adam Lawton, Jay Chapelhow, Nathan Connell, Frank Sergent, Kieran Taylor, Max Banditt
STATS
Last ten meetings:
Widnes 36, London Broncos 42 (ChR22, 2/8/26)
London Broncos 44, Widnes 12 (ChR1, 18/1/26)
Widnes 10, London Broncos 20 (ChR26, 14/9/25)
London Broncos 10, Widnes 12 (ChR12, 31/5/25)
London Broncos 52, Widnes 12 (ChR25, 10/9/23)
Widnes 18, London Broncos 26 (ChR13, 4/6/23)
Widnes 26, London Broncos 22 (ChR16, 26/6/22)
London Broncos 12, Widnes 34 (ChR1, 30/1/22)
Widnes 22, London Broncos 24 (ChR9, 13/6/21)
Widnes 12, London Broncos 38 (ChR3, 16/2/20)
ALEX WALKER needs three tries to reach 100 for London Broncos.
– 202 appearances (2014-2019, 2022-2026)
London Broncos – 1895 Cup Final appearances
James Meadows
2023 Lost (v Halifax, 12-10) *
* for Batley
Marcus Stock
2021 Lost (v Featherstone, 41-34) *
* for York
Widnes Vikings – 1895 Cup Final appearances
Jay Chapelhow
2019 Lost (v Sheffield, 36-18)
Tom Gilmore
2019 Lost (v Sheffield, 36-18)
Jordan Johnstone
2019 Lost (v Sheffield, 36-18)
Dan Murray
2023 Won (v Batley, 12-10) *
* for Halifax
Jack Owens
2019 Lost (v Sheffield, 36-18)
Sam Wilde
2019 Lost (v Sheffield, 36-18)
Previous 1895 Cup Finals
2025 Featherstone Rovers 4 York Knights 5 (after golden point extra-time) (at Wembley Stadium)
2024 Sheffield Eagles 6 Wakefield Trinity 50 (at Wembley Stadium)
2023 Batley Bulldogs 10 Halifax Panthers 12 (at Wembley Stadium)
2022 Featherstone Rovers 16 Leigh Centurions 30 (at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London)
2021 Featherstone Rovers 41 York City Knights 34 (at Wembley Stadium)
2019 Sheffield Eagles 36 Widnes Vikings 18 (at Wembley Stadium)
1895 CUP FINAL RECORDS
Highest score
Wakefield Trinity 50 Sheffield Eagles 6 (2024)
(also widest margin)
Most tries by a team
9 Wakefield Trinity (v Sheffield Eagles, 50-6) (2024)
Most points by a losing team
York City Knights 34 Featherstone Rovers 41 (2021) (also record aggregate of points – 75)
Most tries by a player
3 Aaron Brown (Sheffield Eagles) in the 36-18 defeat of Widnes Vikings in 2019
Most goals by a player
7 Max Jowitt (Wakefield Trinity) in the 50-6 defeat of Sheffield Eagles in 2024
Most points by a player
16 Craig Hall (Featherstone Rovers) in the 30-16 defeat to Leigh Centurions in 2022 (2 tries, 4 goals)
16 Craig Hall (Featherstone Rovers) in the 41-34 defeat of York City Knights in 2021 (1 try, 6 goals)