1895 Cup draw and format confirmed for 2026

Former Leeds Rhinos, Castleford Tigers and England star Luke Gale will join broadcaster James Deighton for the 1895 Cup preliminary and Round 1 draw on Sunday (15 February), live on BBC Radio Leeds from 5.40pm.

The competition, which ex-Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel Gale won with Wakefield Trinity two years ago, returns for 2026 with a new format featuring 19 Betfred Championship clubs.

Sunday’s draw will see six balls pulled first to produce three preliminary round ties before the remaining 10 – and the addition of the three teams still in the Betfred Challenge Cup and home balls from the preliminary round ties – are drawn to determine eight Round 1 fixtures.

Preliminary round fixtures will be played on the weekend of March 14/15, with Round 1 scheduled to take place on April 17/18.

The final of the 1895 Cup will be played on Monday 31 August, with the venue to be confirmed in due course.

Ball numbers for Sunday’s draw can be found below:

1.           Barrow Raiders

2.           Batley Bulldogs

3.           Dewsbury Rams

4.           Doncaster RLFC

5.           Hunslet RLFC  

6.           London Broncos

7.           Midlands Hurricanes   

8.           Newcastle Thunder      

9.           North Wales Crusaders

10.         Rochdale Hornets

11.         Salford RLFC

12.         Sheffield Eagles

13.         Swinton Lions

14.         Whitehaven RLFC         

15.         Widnes Vikings

16.         Workington Town

On the conclusion of the draw for the preliminary round, balls 17-19 to be added:

17.         Goole Vikings

18.         Keighley Cougars

19.         Oldham RLFC

Key dates for the 1895 Cup:

Preliminary round: 14/15 March

First round: 18/19 April

Quarter-finals: 16/17 May

Semi-finals: 13/14 June

Final: 31 August, venue TBC