The first rugby league match at Wembley Stadium was played in 1929.
The match was the 1929 Challenge Cup final, in which Wigan defeated Dewsbury 13–2. It marked the beginning of Wembley’s long association with British rugby league and the Challenge Cup final.
Wembley was selected because its large capacity could accommodate a major sporting occasion. The venue subsequently became one of rugby league’s most recognisable settings, hosting Challenge Cup finals, international matches and other significant fixtures for decades.
The 1929 appearance should not be confused with the first Challenge Cup final itself, which took place in 1897 at Headingley. Nor was 1929 the first time rugby league had staged a prestigious final; it was the first time the sport’s Challenge Cup reached Wembley.