BBC secure broadcast rights extension

The BBC have extended their deal with the Rugby Football League to broadcast the Challenge Cup until 2024.

The new agreement will see the BBC broadcast the Wheelchair Challenge Cup final for the first time on its digital platforms as well as continuing to show the Women's Challenge Cup final.

The BBC will show the men's final, both semi-finals plus two matches from the quarter-finals and last 16 from 2022.

The BBC Sport website will continue to show games from the earlier rounds.

"As we near the end of a year of so many unprecedented challenges, we are delighted to have concluded a deal to extend the BBC's coverage not only of the Challenge Cup, but also of the women's and wheelchair competitions which we see as being so important to the future of our sport," said Rugby Football League chief executive Ralph Rimmer.

"The value of the sport's enduring partnership with the BBC has never been more evident than in 2020, as we worked together on delivering a memorable Challenge Cup final at Wembley, despite the absence of fans, which attracted the strongest viewing figures for almost a decade."

The BBC already has rights for the men's, women's and wheelchair World Cups in 2021, with the corporation to broadcast 61 matches in total across its platforms.

"Our strong relationship with the RFL goes back many years and we are delighted to continue bringing live coverage of the Challenge Cup across BBC platforms to fans up to 2024," said the director of BBC Sport, Barbara Slater.