THE first Challenge Cup Final took place in 1897, just a year after rugby league chose to break away and create its own sport.
That year, Batley overcame St Helens in a 10-3 victory in front just 10,000 people at Leeds’ Headingley Stadium.
From that, the Challenge Cup competition quickly became rugby league’s most prestigious competition, with the tradition still going strong in the modern era.
Since then, some enormous attendances have been registered at the cup’s home at Wembley Stadium as well as a number of replays along the way as rugby league fans find cup final day as one of the greatest events of the year.
Here are the ten biggest Challenge Cup Final attendance since rugby league began.
10. Wigan 32-12 Halifax – Wembley, 1988 – 94, 273
9. St Helens 12-6 Wigan – Wembley, 1961 – 94,672
8. Hull KR 10-5 Hull FC – Wembley, 1980 – 95,000
7. Bradford Northern 12-0 Halifax – Wembley, 1949 – 95,050
6. Castleford 7-2 Wigan – Wembley, 1970 – 95,255
5. Leeds 14-12 St Helens – Wembley, 1978 – 96,000
4. Wigan 28-24 Hull FC – Wembley, 1985 – 97,801
Often dubbed as one of the greatest finals ever seen at Wembley, Wigan eventually overcame their Hull FC opponents in dramatic fashion.
3. Castleford 11-6 Salford – Wembley, 1969 – 97,939
2. St Helens 21-2 Wigan – Wembley, 1966 – 98,536
1. Warrington 8-4 Halifax – Odsal, 1954 – 102,569
The largest ever Challenge Cup Final attendance – and the largest ever rugby league attendance – took place at Bradford’s Odsal in 1954 after Warrington and Halifax couldn’t be separated at Wembley in a 4-4 thriller.
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