The road to the 2026 Super League season is officially underway, with the Festive Challenge kicking off a packed pre-season schedule across December, January and February. Leeds Rhinos struck first with an 18–10 victory over Wakefield Trinity at Headingley, as a host of young guns and squad players put their hands up in the opening hit-out. With testimonial matches, traditional rivals clashing, and Championship sides testing Super League heavyweights in the weeks ahead, this hub tracks every confirmed pre-season result, team list and upcoming fixture as clubs fine-tune their squads ahead of Round One.
December
Festive Challenge
Leeds Rhinos 18 (Alfie Edgell, George Brown, Riley Lumb tries; Chris Hankinson 3 goals) defeated Wakefield Trinity 10 (Isaiah Vagana, Jayden Myers tries; Jack Sinfield goal) at AMT Headingley. Half-time: Leeds Rhinos 18-6.
Leeds Rhinos: 21. Alfie Edgell, 3. Harley Thomas, 18. Max Simpson, 24. Ned McCormack, 22. Riley Lumb, 14. Chris Hankinson, 7. George Brown, 10. Tom Holroyd, 9. Jarrod O’Connor, 15. Cooper Jenkins, 25. Ben Littlewood, 16. Ethan O’Neill, 13. Keenan Palasia. Replacements: 19. Jeremiah Mata’utia, 23. Danny Levi, 26. Tom Nicholson-Watton, 4. Marcus Qareqare, 2. Oscar Brown, 5. Jacob Hardy, 20. Jacob Tioaia, 6. Harry Smith, 12. Jacob Stead, 17. Zak Lloyd, 11. Olly Smart, 1. Joe Diskin, 8. Joe Butterfield.
Wakefield Trinity: 1. Robbie Brook, 21. Jayden Myers, 2. Oliver Pratt, 4. Corey Hall, 32. Will Tate, 27. Myles Lawford, 20. Jack Sinfield, 10. Ky Rodwell, 17. Harvey Smith, 16. Caius Faatili, 3. Cameron Scott, 18. Isaiah Vagana, 13. Charlie Abraham. Replacements: 24. Tray Lolesio, 31. Kian McGann, 28. Ewan Molyneux, 22. Harry Ratcliffe, 19. Rowan Stephenson, 14. Cass Walker-Smith, 25. Jordan Williams, 19. Alfie Briggs, 23. Dom Sinfield
January
Friday, January 9: Warrington Wolves 50 (Josh Thewlis 3, Ewan Irwin, Luke Thomas, Leon Hayes, Ben Hartill, Tommy Rhodes, Ewan Smith tries; Marc Sneyd 4, Ewan Irwin 2, Leon Hayes goals) defeated Widnes Vikings 10 (Deacon Connolly, Mike Butt tries; Jordan Abdull, Joe Edge goals) at Halliwell Jones Stadium. Half-time: Warrington 28-0.
Warrington Wolves: 1. Cai Taylor-Wray, 2. Josh Thewlis, 3. Toby King, 26. Josh Smith, 27. Jake Thewlis, 18. Ewan Irwin, 7. Marc Sneyd, 16. Liam Byrne, 9. Danny Walker, 22. Joe Philbin, 12. Sam Stone, 34. Kelepi Tanginoa, 17. Jordy Crowther, Flynn Holden, Lachlan Webster, James Duffy, Tommy Rhodes, Leon Hayes, Luke Thomas, Ben Hartill, Max Wood, Ewan Smith, Luke Yates, Bear Williams, Isaac Holdsworth, Daniel Coop, Cameron Cooper, Bailey Lund.
Widnes Vikings: 1. Matt Fleming, 23. Nathan Connell, 3. Jack Owens, 4. Joe Edge, 5. Ryan Ince, 6. Joe Lyons, 22. Jordan Abdull, 8. Dan Murray, 9. Jordan Johnstone, 21. Jay Chapelhow, 11. Sam Wilde, 12. Max Roberts, 13. Nick Gregson, 2. Mike Butt, 10. Liam Bent, 14. Matty Fozard, 15. Lewis Hall, 20. Jack Bibby, 25. Kieran Taylor, 26. Toby Hughes, 27. Deacon Connolly, 28. Jack Houghton.
Saturday, January 10: North Wales Crusaders 34 (Oliver Brookes 3, Tom Forber 2, Junior Westwood, Jayden Hatton tries; Jordy Gibson 3 goals) defeated Wigan Warriors 22 (Tiaki Chan, Leo Wadsworth, Dayon Sambou, Noah Hodkinson tries; Nathan Lowe 2 goals) at Eirias Stadium. Half-time: North Wales Crusaders 24-12.
North Wales Crusaders: Lloyd Roby, Luke Forber, Jayden Hatton, Jake Spedding, Oliver Brookes, Junior Westwood, Jordy Gibson, Anthony Gibson Walker, Josh Eaves, Chris Barratt, Brad England, Cole Oakley, Ashton Robinson, Joe Baldwin, Will Tilleke, Liam Cooper, Greg Eden, Tom Bridge, Dec Patton, Shaun Costello.
Wigan Warriors: 1. Noah Hodkinson, 2. Josh Cartwright, 3. Nathan Lowe, 4. Jonny Vaughan, 5. Dayon Sambou, 6. Charlie Yeomans, 7. Jack Purtill, 8. Kian McDermott, 9. Tom Forber, 10. Tiaki Chan, 11. George Hirst, 12. Lukas Mason, 13. Taylor Kerr, Jaiden Drachenberg, Finn McMillan, Mike Porter, Shea O’Connor, Kalum Rathbone, Harlen Smith, Leo Wadsworth, Riley Dervan.
Cancelled: Castleford Tigers vs Oldham at OneBore Stadium (due to weather conditions), Dewsbury Rams vs Bradford Bulls at FLAIR Stadium (due to pitch condition); Swinton Lions vs St Helens at Heywood Road (due to pitch condition).
Sunday, January 11: Doncaster 12 (Connor Jones, Cory Aston tries; Connor Robinson 2 goals) lost to Bradford Bulls 30 (Esan Marsters, Jayden Nikorima, Waqa Blake, Zac Fulton, Luke Hooley, Jamie Gill tries; Rowan Milnes 2, Jayden Okunbor goals) at Eco Power Stadium. Half-time: Bradford Bulls 16-6.
Doncaster: 1. Tom Holmes, 5. Luke Briscoe, 23. James Glover, 3. Brad Hey, 18. Edene Gebbie, 6. Cory Aston, 24. Watson Boas, 8. Brad Knowles, 9. Greg Burns, 10. Suaia Matagi, 12. Alex Sutcliffe, 15. Jordan Baldwinson, 22. Luis Johnson, 4. Reece Lyne, 7. Connor Robinson, 11. Sam Smeaton, 14. Jacob Jones, 16. Pauli Pauli, 17. Muizz Mustapha, 19. Connor Jones, 20. Isaac Misky, 25. Gadwin Springer, 33. Andre Savello.
Bradford Bulls: Caleb Aekins, Jayden Okunbor, Esan Marsters, Waqa Blake, Ethan Ryan, Jayden Nikorima, Rowan Milnes, Eribe Doro, Andy Ackers, Brandon Douglas, Dan Russell, Zac Fulton, Ryan Sutton. Replacements: Luke Hooley, Joe Keyes, Connor Wynne, Harvey Ward, Ronan Michael, Alfie Leake, Mitch Souter, Jamie Gill, Eliot Peposhi, Leon Ruan, Sam Hallas.
Saturday, January 17: Huddersfield Giants 22 (Sam Halsall, Sam Hewitt, Niall Evalds, George King tries; Liam Sutcliffe 2 goals, George Flanagan goal) beat York Knights 4 (Ben Jones-Bishop try) at Accu Stadium. Half-time: Huddersfield Giants 16-0. Matty English Testimonial.
Huddersfield Giants: Niall Evalds, Adam Swift, Jacob Gagai, Liam Sutcliffe, Sam Halsall, Tui Lolohea, Adam Clune, Chris Patolo, Zac Woolford, Matty English, Asher O’Donnell, Sam Hewitt, Tristan Powell. Replacements: Tom Burgess, Fenton Rogers, George King, Kieran Rush, Mathieu Cozza, George Flanagan, Jack Billington, Connor Carr, Marshall Land.
York Knights: 1. Toa Mata’afa, 2. Ben Jones-Bishop, 3. Jordan Lipp, 4. Sam Wood, 5. Scott Galeano, 20. Oli Field, 12. Jesse Dee, 13. Jordan Thompson, 14. Denive Balmforth, 8. Jack Martin, 17. Kieran Hudson, 15. Xavier Va’a, 19. Danny Richardson, 6. Ata Hingano, 26. Nikau Williams, 7. Liam Harris, 31. King Vuniyayawa, 9. Paul McShane, 16. Justin Sangare.
Upcoming Fixtures
Sunday, January 18: Castleford Tigers vs Leeds Rhinos at OneBore Stadium (Kick-off: 3pm) – Brad Singleton Testimonial
Saturday, January 24: Leeds Rhinos vs Bradford Bulls at AMT Headingley (Kick-off: 1pm) – Cameron Smith Testimonial; St Helens vs Castleford Tigers at BrewDog Stadium (Kick-off: 3pm) – Matty Lees Testimonial
Sunday, January 25: Hull FC vs Huddersfield Giants at Brantingham Park (Kick-off: 2pm) – Brad Fash Testimonial
Friday, January 30: Warrington Wolves vs Leigh Leopards at Halliwell Jones Stadium (Kick-off: 7:30pm)
Sunday, February 1: Wigan Warriors vs Hull FC at The Brick Community Stadium (Kick-off: 3pm) – Liam Marshall Testimonial
