THE Rugby Football League yesterday agreed a new five-year deal for the BBC to continue televising the Challenge Cup and highlights of the First Utility Super League.

The four-year deal agreed between the RFL and the BBC in 2012 still had another 12 months to run but the latest contract will ensure the oldest and most prestigious knock-out competition will remain on terrestrial television until at least 2020.

The announcement comes three days after Leeds beat Hull KR by a record margin of 50-0 to win this year’s competition at Wembley.

RFL chief executive Nigel Wood said: “The Challenge Cup has a rich heritage and I am delighted that we have agreed a deal with the BBC that ensures one of the major national sporting events of the year will continue to be watched by millions of fans across the country.”

As well as the Wembley final, ties in the sixth round, quarter-finals and semi-finals will be shown as part of the contract.

The BBC will also continue its coverage of the international game, including the 2016 Four Nations Series and the 2017 World Cup, which is being staged in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, while the new contract also ensures rugby league coverage continues on BBC Radio 5 Live and Radio 5 Live Sports Extra.

The BBC, which broke ground this year by televising a semi-final on a Friday night, is known to be keen on shifting the Challenge Cup back to the spring but any move of the final to May or June is unlikely to be made before 2017.