# 2023 Women's Challenge Cup

The 2023 Women's Challenge Cup (known for sponsorship reasons as the 2023 Betfred Women's Challenge Cup) was the 11th staging of the Rugby Football League's cup competition for women's rugby league clubs.

## Format

The competition used the same format as in 2022 with four groups of four competing in a single round robin with group winners and runners-up advancing to the knockout rounds. The group stage draw took place on 12 January.
Groups :
| Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 | Group 4 |
| Featherstone Rovers Salford Red Devils Cardiff Demons Wigan Warriors | Huddersfield Giants Bradford Bulls Oulton Raidettes Leeds Rhinos | Warrington Wolves Castleford Tigers London Broncos St Helens | Barrow Raiders Leigh Leopards Hull Kingston Rovers York Valkyrie |

## Group stage

The fixture list for the group stage was published on 16 February 2023.
Challenge Cup group fixtures week 1 :
| Group | Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Group | Home | Score | Away | Date and Time | Venue | Referee |
| 1 | Salford Red Devils | 08–22 | Featherstone Rovers | 23 April, 12:00 | AJ Bell Stadium | J. Pemberton |
| 1 | Cardiff Demons | 20–38 | Wigan Warriors | 23 April, 14:00 | Cardiff University Sports Fields | R. Apsee |
| 2 | Leeds Rhinos | 72–00 | Bradford Bulls | 23 April, 13:00 | Weetwood Sports Park | F. Lincoln |
| 2 | Oulton Raidettes | 04–54 | Huddersfield Giants | 23 April, 14:00 | Oulton Sports Pavilion | M. Mckelvey |
| 3 | London Broncos | 00–76 | St Helens | 22 April, 14:00 | The Rock, Roehampton | H. Winnard |
| 3 | Castleford Tigers | 00–72 | Warrington Wolves | 23 April, 14:00 | Mend-a-Hose Jungle | A. Rhodes |
| 4 | Barrow Raiders | 04–44 | York Valkyrie | 23 April, 14:00 | Craven Park, Barrow-in-Furness | J. Hughes |
| 4 | Hull Kingston Rovers | 16–38 | Leigh Leopards | 23 April; 14:00 | Craven Park, Hull | D. Frederick |
| Source: |||||||
Challenge Cup group fixtures week 2 :
| Group | Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Group | Home | Score | Away | Date and Time | Venue | Referee |
| 1 | Featherstone Rovers | 10–12 | Wigan Warriors | 7 May; 12:00 | Post Office Road | C. Hughes |
| 1 | Salford Red Devils | 08–12 | Cardiff Demons | 7 May; 13:00 | Moor Lane | S. Houghton |
| 2 | Bradford Bulls | 12–32 | Huddersfield Giants | 7 May; 14:00 | Horsfall Stadium | M. Clayton |
| 2 | Oulton Raidettes | 0000–48 | Leeds Rhinos | — | — | — |
| 3 | Castleford Tigers | 000–106 | St Helens | 7 May; 14:00 | Mend-a-Hose Jungle | D. Geddes |
| 3 | Warrington Wolves | 64–10 | London Broncos | 7 May; 14:00 | Victoria Park | O. Ireland |
| 4 | York Valkyrie | 122–000 | Hull Kingston Rovers | 7 May; 12:00 | York Community Stadium | B. Worsley |
| 4 | Leigh Leopards | 30–22 | Barrow Raiders | 7 May; 14:00 | Twist Lane | L. Flavell |
| Source: |||||||
Challenge Cup group fixtures week 3 :
| Group | Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Group | Home | Score | Away | Date and Time | Venue | Referee |
| 1 | Cardiff Demons | 36–18 | Featherstone Rovers | 21 May; 14:00 | Cardiff University Sports Fields | R. Apsee |
| 1 | Wigan Warriors | 60–00 | Salford Red Devils | 21 May; 14:00 | Robin Park | S. Houghton |
| 2 | Huddersfield Giants | 00–54 | Leeds Rhinos | 21 May; 14:00 | Laund Hill | J. Covell-Wood |
| 2 | Bradford Bulls | 38–60 | Oulton Raidettes | 21 May; 17:15 | Odsal Stadium | A. Rhodes |
| 3 | London Broncos | 40–40 | Castleford Tigers | 21 May; 14:00 | The Rock, Roehampton | |
| 3 | St Helens | 38–40 | Warrington Wolves | 21 May; 14:00 | Totally Wicked Stadium | L. Flavell |
| 4 | Hull Kingston Rovers | 11–20 | Barrow Raiders | 21 May; 14:00 | Craven Park, Hull | |
| 4 | Leigh Leopards | 00–54 | York Valkyrie | 21 May; 14:00 | Twist Lane | |
| Source: |||||||

### Standings

Group 1 :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Wigan Warriors | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 110 | 30 | +80 | 6 | Advance to knock-out stages |
| 2 | Cardiff Demons | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 68 | 64 | +4 | 4 | Advance to knock-out stages |
| 3 | Featherstone Rovers | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 50 | 56 | −6 | 2 | |
| 4 | Salford Red Devils | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 94 | −78 | 0 | |
Group 2 :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Leeds Rhinos | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 174 | 0 | +174 | 6 | Advance to knock-out stages |
| 2 | Huddersfield Giants | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 86 | 70 | +16 | 4 | Advance to knock-out stages |
| 3 | Bradford Bulls | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 50 | 110 | −60 | 2 | |
| 4 | Oulton Raidettes | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 140 | −130 | 0 | |
Group 3 :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | St Helens | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 220 | 4 | +216 | 6 | Advance to knock-out stages |
| 2 | Warrington Wolves | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 140 | 48 | +92 | 4 | Advance to knock-out stages |
| 3 | London Broncos | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 50 | 144 | −94 | 2 | |
| 4 | Castleford Tigers | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 218 | −214 | 0 | |
Group 4 :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | York Valkyrie | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 224 | 4 | +220 | 6 | Advance to knock-out stages |
| 2 | Leigh Leopards | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 68 | 96 | −28 | 4 | Advance to knock-out stages |
| 3 | Barrow Raiders | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 46 | 85 | −39 | 2 | |
| 4 | Hull Kingston Rovers | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 27 | 180 | −153 | 0 | |

## Quarter-finals

The draw for the quarter-finals was made live on BBC Radio Five, on 26 May. Ties took place over the weekend of 17–18 June.
Challenge Cup quarter-final fixtures :
| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Attendance |
| Leeds Rhinos | 54–00 | Leigh Leopards | 17 June, 13:00 | Headingley Stadium | | |
| Wigan Warriors | 46–10 | Huddersfield Giants | 18 June, 11:30 | Robin Park Arena | | |
| St Helens | 36–00 | Warrington Wolves | 18 June, 12:30 | Totally Wicked Stadium | | |
| York Valkyrie | 54–00 | Cardiff Demons | 18 June, 14:00 | York Community Stadium | | |
| Source: |||||||

## Semi-finals

Ties took place over the weekend of 22–23 July, each being part of a double header with one of the men's semi-finals; St Helens v York was played with the Leigh v St Helens men's game and Wigan v Leeds was played with the Hull KR v Wigan men's game. Both of the women's matches were broadcast live on the BBC Sport website.
Challenge Cup semi-final fixtures :
| Team A | Score | Team B | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Team A | Score | Team B | Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Attendance |
| St Helens | 17–16 | York Valkyrie | 22 July, 11:45 | Halliwell Jones Stadium | A. Belafonte | 12,113 |
| Wigan Warriors | 04–16 | Leeds Rhinos | 23 July, 14:15 | Headingley | E. Burrow | 10,926 |
| Source: |||||||

## Final

On 12 August 2022, the RFL announced that the Women's Challenge Cup Final would make its Wembley debut, and be played as a double header with the men's final. The final was played on 12 August 2023.
Challenge Cup Final :
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Attendance |
| Leeds Rhinos | 8–22 | St Helens | 12 August 2023, 12:00 | Wembley Stadium | J. Vella | |
| Source: |||||||

## Broadcast matches

| Round | Match | Date | Broadcast method |
| Final | Leeds Rhinos v St Helens | 12 August 2023 | Broadcast live on BBC Two |