Challenge Cup draws: Halifax Panthers to host either Thatto Heath or Orrell St James in second round, while Siddal could face League 1 opposition

The draws for the first two rounds of the prestigious knock-out competition were made on Monday (December 2) evening at the home of new League 1 outfit Goole Vikings.

And Fax were treated to a home draw in Round 2, where they will face the winners of the all-amateur first round contest between Thatto Heath and Orrell St James.

The Panthers made it to the sixth round of the Challenge Cup in 2024 where they lost 40-4 against Super League giants Catalan Dragons at The Shay.

Fax’s journey in the competition last season saw them beat Whitehaven, Hammersmith Hills Hoists and York Acorn.

Acorn had beaten Orrell St James in an earlier round while NCL Premier Division side Thatto Heath exited at the hands of Featherstone Rovers in February.

In this year’s first round, amateur side Siddal, who hosted Wakefield Trinity in last year’s competition, will travel to Hammersmith Hills Hoists, with the winners facing a trip to League 1 outfit Midlands Hurricanes in the second round.

And there will be an added incentive for progressing into Round 3 of the 2025 Challenge Cup as that is the stage when all 12 Super League clubs enter the competition.

The new-look structure will see the sides from the top tier seeded away from home, giving the winners from the 20 second ties a better opportunity to host a glamour tie.

First round ties will take place the weekend of January 11-12, and second round ties will take place the weekend of January 25-26.