Wigan Warriors chief Kris Radlinski gives verdict on Challenge Cup final’s Wembley future

Wigan Warriors chief executive Kris Radlinski has offered his verdict on the Challenge Cup final’s future after another debate over Wembley attendances.

The debate over Wembley’s future as the home of the Challenge Cup final resurfaced once again after Saturday’s final between Wigan Warriors and Hull KR attracted a crowd of 56,538.

While the attendance was enough to create a vibrant atmosphere under the famous arch, it was the lowest Challenge Cup final crowd involving two English clubs since 1946, excluding the Covid-affected finals in 2020 and 2021.

The occasion itself was another memorable one for Wigan. Denis Betts’ women retained the Challenge Cup before Matt Peet’s men lifted the trophy for a record-extending 22nd time later in the afternoon.

However, with around 33,000 seats left empty inside Wembley Stadium, questions have again been raised by supporters over whether the final should remain at the national stadium.

Radlinski admits he sees both sides of the argument.

The former Wigan fullback played in three Challenge Cup finals during his career. Only one came at Wembley, when Wigan suffered a shock defeat to Sheffield Eagles in 1998. He later won the Lance Todd Trophy as Wigan beat St Helens in the 2002 final in Edinburgh before featuring in the 2004 final defeat to Saints in Cardiff.

Despite those experiences away from Wembley, Radlinski believes the national stadium still holds a special place in the hearts of players and supporters.

“We don’t sell Wembley out as we’ve done in the past, but it’s still on the bucket list of players,” he said in an interview carried out in the build-up to Saturday’s Cup final.

“Players still want to go there and play in a big occasion.

“I’ve grown up watching the Challenge Cup, and I still get the tingle when the draw comes out. We’ve got a magic to it, and it’s a great day out.

“In years gone by, every Super League team used to send fans down, and it’s probably lost that a little bit. I’d like us to get back to that stage where every fan is turning up in their own jersey for a big day out.”

The 2022 Challenge Cup final, won by Wigan against Huddersfield Giants at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, attracted a crowd of 51,628. Although that attendance left around 11,000 empty seats in North London, it was significantly closer to capacity than this year’s final at Wembley.

Radlinski accepts the sight of empty seats is not ideal, but feels the solution requires a wider effort from across the sport rather than simply moving the event elsewhere.

“That’s a conversation, I don’t like seeing an empty Wembley,” he admitted.

“If Wembley’s full, then it shouldn’t move. But we can’t be ignorant to the economic challenges within the sport and within society, it costs a lot of money to get down there.

“I would much rather see a Challenge Cup final with a sell-out crowd, but the idea was to sell Wembley out every year.

“For that to happen, the sport needs to make a concerted effort rather than it just being the competing clubs.”