The challenge cup draw will be held live on Tuesday morning, March 17, on Morning Live with Helen Skelton and Gethin Jones. Viewers can tune in from 9: 30am ET with the draw due from 10: 20am ET; quarter-final ties are scheduled for the weekend of April 11/12. Hull KR will learn their opponents after their recent win and the draw will set the eight quarter-final matches ahead of Finals Day at Wembley on May 30, 2026.
Key details of the Challenge Cup Draw
The live draw will be conducted on Morning Live and is scheduled to take place around 10: 20am ET on Tuesday, March 17. Morning Live airs on weekday mornings from 9: 30am ET to 10: 45am ET, giving the challenge cup draw national television exposure. Ball numbers for the quarter-finals have been confirmed following the fourth-round ties, and the draw will feature eight teams after this weekend’s round-of-16 action. Quarter-final ties are slated for the weekend of April 11/12; the competition then progresses toward Finals Day at Wembley on Saturday, May 30, 2026.
Immediate reactions and key figures
Helen Skelton, presenter, who has prior experience as a pitch-side reporter on Channel 4’s Super League coverage, and Gethin Jones, presenter, who has connections to rugby league dating back to the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, will conduct the live draw. Hull KR, buoyed by a big win over Huddersfield Giants on Saturday, await their fate when the challenge cup draw is made. The format will set out the four quarter-final ties that will determine the path to Wembley.
What happens next
After the draw is made around 10: 20am ET, clubs will prepare for the quarter-final fixtures on April 11/12. The immediate priorities for the eight teams confirmed for the last eight will be logistical planning and match preparation following confirmation of ball numbers and pairings. Attention then turns to Finals Day at Wembley on May 30, 2026, a fixed date in the competition calendar that clubs and supporters will be targeting once the quarter-final draws are completed.
Expect live coverage from Morning Live starting at 9: 30am ET, the draw around 10: 20am ET, and confirmation of the quarter-final ties for play on the weekend of April 11/12; the outcome of the challenge cup draw will shape the remaining weeks of the competition and the route to Wembley.
