TWELVE teams will compete in the Women’s Challenge Cup this year, with the group-stage draw taking place on Tuesday, January 14.
All eight Super League teams will enter the competition alongside four entrants from the Championship, down from 16 clubs last season.
The dozen will be drawn into four groups of three, with a fixture taking place in each group over three rounds on the weekends of April 5/6, 12/13 and 19/20.
The winners and runners up of each group will then progress to the quarter-finals on April 26/27 ahead of semi-final double headers with the men’s competition on May 10/11 and a Wembley final on June 7.
The ‘big four’ of holders St Helens, Leeds, Wigan and York will be seeded for the draw and therefore avoid each other in the group stage.
Two of the other eight sides – Barrow, Leigh, Huddersfield and Warrington from Super League plus second-tier Cardiff, Featherstone, London and Sheffield – will be drawn into each group.
The group-stage draw takes place alongside the third-round draw for the men’s competition, with both held at the Spectrum headquarters of competition sponsors Betfred in Warrington.
They will both be broadcast live by BBC Sport on iPlayer and Red Button, with coverage to begin at 6.30pm.
Women’s Challenge Cup
Pool one – Barrow Raiders, Cardiff Demons, Featherstone Rovers, Leigh Leopards, London Broncos, Huddersfield Giants, Sheffield Eagles, Warrington Wolves
Pool two – Leeds Rhinos, St Helens, Wigan Warriors, York Valkyrie
