Betfred Challenge Cup: The Sportsman To Stream St Helens-Wigan First Round Clash Live

The Sportsman’s fantastic slate of rugby league broadcasts will continue in 2025, with live and exclusive coverage of 20 games from a range of competitions.

Now into its fifth year of live coverage, The Sportsman has streamed over 65 matches since its initial partnership deal with the Rugby Football League in 2021, including Betfred Challenge Cup upsets, Betfred Wheelchair Super League thrillers and Grand Final drama, and 2025 promises to be the best year yet.

This year’s coverage will start as the British game’s community clubs take the first steps on the road to Wembley with a St Helens vs Wigan derby of sorts on Saturday, January 11 when Thatto Heath host Orrell St James in the first round of the Betfred Challenge Cup.

If local bragging rights weren’t enough, the stakes have been raised even higher, with a trip to Betfred Championship side Halifax Panthers awaiting the winners in round two.

There is also the added carrot for the 34 community participants this year of a potential headline date against a Betfred Super League club in the third round, since the revised format for 2025 sees top-tier sides enter at a much earlier stage than in seasons passed.

The first round will see 15 National Conference League teams, 12 from English regional leagues, three armed services clubs, the Great Britain Police outfit and one addition each from the Scottish, Welsh and Irish leagues, with Thatto Heath v Orrell St James providing the main attraction.

Kick-off at Hattons Solicitors Crusader Park is at 14:30 GMT, with live coverage starting on The Sportsman at 14:15.

All of The Sportsman’s live games will be  shown, free of charge, through The Sportsman Rugby League YouTube Channel.