I’m branching out into new content here, so I hope you’ll all accompany me down this path as I dip my toe into the murky waters of ‘top 10 list’ content. Since rugby league content is going to be a bit thin on the ground over the next few months, I’m trying new things, so here’s this look at the biggest clubs by number of trophies won. This number is a somewhat inexact science, as different websites will give you different numbers, but here are my ground rules: only trophies won after 1895, and only trophies competed for by all, or exclusively, top level clubs, so no 1895 Cup, but older competitions like the Floodlit Trophy or John Player’s Trophy does count towards a team’s score, I’ve also included World Club Challenges, but not Charity Shields.

I’m using the information I accumulated for my Rugby League Almanac (available here) plus the new knowledge of this season’s winners. I got this information from both Wikipedia, cross-checked with rugbyleagueproject.org, so I’m trusting them to not lead me astray. Enough waffle, let’s get on with the list.

=9. Hull FC & Oldham RLFC (23)

Trophies won:

Hull FC: RFL Championship/Super League (6. 1919–20, 1920–21, 1935–36, 1955–56, 1957–58, 1982–83), Challenge Cup (5. 1913–14, 1981–82, 2005, 2016, 2017), Premiership (1. 1990–91), John Player’s/Regal Trophy (1. 1981-82), BBC2 Floodlit Trophy (1. 1979-80), RFL Yorkshire League (4. 1918–19, 1922–23, 1926–27, 1935–36), RFL Yorkshire Cup (5. 1923–24, 1969–70, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85)

Oldham: RFL Championship/Super League (4. 1904–05, 1909–10, 1910–11, 1956–57), Challenge Cup (3. 1898–99, 1924–25, 1926–27), RFL Lancashire League (7. 1897–98, 1900–01, 1907–08, 1909–10, 1921–22, 1956–57, 1957–58), RFL Lancashire Cup (9. 1907–08, 1910–11, 1913–14, 1919–20, 1924–25, 1933–34, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59)

Current champions Hull KR just miss out on this top ten by virtue of a tie in tenth place. Both cross-city rivals Hull FC and ambitious Championship side edge them out by a solitary trophy, with the Robins sitting on a total of 22 trophies within the remit of this list.

The vast majority of the trophies won by the two clubs in ninth place were won pre-summer era, with FC’s last league title coming in 1983, and Oldham’s all the way back in 1957! It’s FC’s back-to-back Challenge Cup triumphs in 2016 & 2017 which lands them on this list, although they will be looking over their shoulder at the chasing Robins who should be competing for more silverware in 2026. As for Oldham, it’s their wins in the county championships that see them feature here, with seven Lancashire League wins and nin Lancashire Cups, they claim their place in the top ten by the skin of their teeth.

8. Wakefield Trinity (24)

Trophies won: RFL Championship/Super League (2. 1966–67, 1967–68), Challenge Cup (5. 1908–09, 1945–46, 1959–60, 1961–62, 1962–63), RFL Yorkshire League (7. 1909–10, 1910–11, 1945–46, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1961–62, 1965–66), RFL Yorkshire Cup (10. 1910–11, 1924–25, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1951–52, 1956–57, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1964–65, 1992–93)

Wakefield made a splash this season on their return to the Super League, finishing in a respectable sixth-place and making the playoffs. They also sneak into eighth on this list narrowly above Hull FC, mirroring this season’s table.

Wakefield are a team with a lot of history and pedigree behind them, but it’s fair to say that their glory days are well and truly in the rear view mirror. Their last league title came in 1968, and their last trophy in 1993, over thirty years ago. Indeed, it’s only because of their success in the regional competitions that they make this list with seven Yorkshire League titles and ten Yorkshire cups to their name. Wakefield fans will be hoping for a return to their glory days under the stewardship of owner Matt Ellis.

7. Widnes (29)

Trophies won: World Club Challenge (1. 1989), RFL Championship/Super League (3. 1977–78, 1987–88, 1988–89), Challenge Cup (7. 1929–30, 1936–37, 1963–64, 1974–75, 1978–79, 1980–81, 1983–84), RFL Premiership (6. 1979–80, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90), John Player’s/Regal Trophy (3. 1975–76, 1978–79, 1991–92), BBC2 Floodlit Trophy (1. 1978–79) RFL Lancashire League (1. 1919–20) RFL Lancashire Cup (7. 1945–46, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1990–91)

The only current non-Super League team to make the list, it’s Widnes’ time as “cup kings” that sees them comfortably onto this list. They’re also the first team on the list to have been crowned world champions, winning the World Club Challenge in 1989. They also won back-to-back Championship and Premiership doubles in 1987-88 and 1988-89, before Wigan’s dominance began in earnest.

They’re another club who has sadly fallen away in recent years, they were relegated from the Super League in the 2018 season, and went into administration in 2019. Thankfully they seem to have turned a corner in recent years and have been challenging for the Championship play-offs in the last few seasons, and have been making efforts to build towards an eventual return to the top flight.

6. Bradford (30)

Trophies won: World Club Challenge (3. 2002, 2004, 2006), RFL Championship/Super League (6. 1979–80, 1980–81, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2005), Challenge Cup (5. 1943–44, 1946–47, 1948–49, 2000, 2003) RFL Premiership (1. 1977–78), Super League League Leaders’ Shield (1. 2003), John Player’s/Regal Trophy (2. 1974–75, 1979–80), RFL Yorkshire League (1. 1947–48), RFL Yorkshire Cup (11. 1940–41, 1941–42, 1943–44, 1945–46, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1953–54, 1965–66, 1978–79, 1987–88, 1989–90)

Bradford will return to the Super League in 2026, in case you hadn’t heard. One of the early dominant forces of the summer era, they’re one of a few clubs to have won a treble in the Super League era, doing so in 2003, before going on to win the World Club Challenge the year after. The World Club Challenge was the last trophy they won, in fact, in 2006, before beginning a downward slide which lead them right to the bottom of the game.

in 2012, the club entered administration. In 2014, they were relegated to the Championship, and then, finally, in 2017, the club were liquidated, the new club established with the same name were admitted into the Championship, but were relegated down to League 1, where they began the long climb back to the top table, which leads them to 2026, where they’ll compete in Super League once again.

5. Huddersfield (37)

Trophies won: RFL Championship/Super League (7. 1911–12, 1912–13, 1914–15, 1928–29, 1929–30, 1948–49, 1961–62), Challenge Cup (6. 1912–13, 1914–15, 1919–20, 1932–33, 1944–45, 1952–53), Super League League Leaders’ Shield (1. 2013), RFL Yorkshire League (11. 1911–12, 1912–13, 1913–14, 1914–15, 1919–20, 1921–22, 1928–29, 1929–30, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1951–52), RFL Yorkshire Cup (12. 1909–10, 1911–12, 1913–14, 1914–15, 1918–19, 1919–20, 1926–27, 1931–32, 1938–39, 1950–51. 1952–53, 1957–58)

The club who can lay claim to hailing from ‘the birthplace of rugby league’ have had a few periods of prevalence in the sport which was first established in the city’s George Hotel in 1895. In fact, they can lay claim to the rare feat of a quadruple. Long before Wigan Warriors’ all-conquering 2024 side, Huddersfield swept the board of trophies in the 1914-15 season, winning the league championship, Challenge Cup, Yorkshire Cup, and Yorkshire League to etch their names in the history books.

Despite winning a League Leaders’ Shield in 2013, trophies have been harder to come by in Huddersfield in recent years. In fact, the club were competing in the second tier of rugby league as recently as 2002, as well as spending a few seasons in the 90s as the awkwardly-styled “Huddersfield-Sheffield Giants” as part of a drive to merge clubs. Their last league title came in 1962.

4. Warrington (38)

Trophies won: RFL Championship (3. 1947–48, 1953–54, 1954–55), Challenge Cup (9. 1904–05, 1906–07, 1949–50, 1953–54, 1973–74, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2019), RFL Premiership (2. 1973–74, 1985–86), Super League League Leaders’ Shield (2. 2011, 2016), John Player’s/Regal Trophy (4. 1973–74, 1977–78, 1980–81, 1990-91), BBC2 Floodlit Trophy (1. 1955-56), RFL Lancashire League (8. 1937–38, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1950–51, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1955–56, 1967-68), RFL Lancashire Cup (9. 1921–22, 1929–30, 1932–33, 1937–38, 1959–60, 1965–66, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1989–90)

Whilst Warrington fan’s will now be used to the “always your year” jibes that come from other fanbases, they can at least take comfort in the fact that they are the fourth most-successful club in British rugby league history, pipping Huddersfield to fourth place by one solitary trophy.

The very definition of a rollercoaster club, Warrington’s fortunes have fluctuated wildly over the years. In recent years, they have been ‘nearly men’ very nearly shrugging off the years of waiting for an elusive league title, only to fall at the final hurdle. While that league title is still yet to come, they have tasted glory recently, lifting the Challenge Cup in 2019, beating St Helens 18-4 at Wembley to lift the trophy for the ninth time.

=2. Leeds & St Helens(68)

Leeds Trophies won: World Club Challenge (3. 2005, 2008, 2012), RFL Championship/Super League (11. 1960–61, 1968–69, 1971–72, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017), Challenge Cup (14. 1909–10, 1922–23, 1931–32, 1935–36, 1940–41, 1941–42, 1956–57, 1967–68, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1999, 2014, 2015, 2020), RFL Premiership (2. 1974–75, 1978–79), Super League League Leaders’ Shield (3. 2004, 2009, 2015), John Player’s/Regal Trophy (2. 1972–73, 1983–84), BBC2 Floodlit Trophy (1. 1970–71), RFL Yorkshire League (15. 1901–02, 1927–28, 1930–31, 1933–34, 1934–35, 1936–37, 1937–38, 1950–51, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1960–61, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70), RFL Yorkshire Cup (17. 1921–22, 1928–29, 1930–31, 1932–33, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1937–38, 1958–59, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1988–89)

St Helens trophies won: World Club Challenge (3. 2001, 2007, 2023), RFL Championship/Super League (17. 1931–32, 1952–53, 1958–59, 1965–66, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1974–75, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2014, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022), Challenge Cup (13. 1955–56, 1960–61, 1965–66, 1971–72, 1975–76, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2021), RFL Premiership (4. 1975–76, 1976–77, 1984–85, 1992–93), Super League League Leaders’ Shield (8. 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2022), John Player’s/Regal Trophy (1. 1987–88), BBC2 Floodlit Trophy (2. 1971–72, 1975–76), RFL Lancashire League (9. 1929–30, 1931–32, 1952–53, 1959–60, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1968–69), RFL Lancashire Cup (11. 1926–27, 1953–54, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1984–85, 1991–92)

We take quite a leap up in terms of the number of trophies won from Warrington, up to our second tie in the list, between two titans of the summer era; Leeds & St Helens.

Truth be told, both teams had enjoyed sporadic success before the Super League came into being. Saints had seven league titles before the game changed into a summer sport, Leeds only had three league titles, but ten Challenge Cups prior to 1996. Both teams have won a total of sixty-eight trophies, a frankly ridiculous amount that includes everything from World Club Challenges (three each) to Floodlit Trophies (1 for Leeds, 2 for Saints).

This positioning also means that Leeds hold the distinction of being Yorkshire’s most successful club (no prizes for guessing who’s come out on top), with thirty-one more trophies than closest Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield, and more trophies than both Hull clubs combined. After all that, it leaves us with just one place left to reveal, and there’s no surprises there…

1. Wigan (109)

Trophies won: World Club Challenge (5. 1987, 1991, 1994, 2017, 2024), RFL Championship/Super League (24. 1908–09, 1921–22, 1925–26, 1933–34, 1945–46, 1946–47, 1949–50, 1951–52, 1959–60, 1986–87, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1998, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2023, 2024), Challenge Cup (21. 1923–24, 1928–29, 1947–48, 1950–51, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1964–65, 1984–85, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 2002, 2011, 2013, 2022, 2024), RFL Premiership (6. 1986–87, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1996, 1997), Super League League Leaders’ Shield (5. 2010, 2012, 2020, 2023, 2024), John Player’s/Regal Trophy (8. 1982–83, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1992–93, 1994–95, 1995–96), BBC2 Floodlit Trophy (1. 1968–69), Lancashire League (18. 1901–02, 1908–09, 1910–11, 1911–12, 1912–13, 1913–14, 1914–15, 1920–21, 1922–23, 1923–24, 1925–26, 1945–46, 1946–47, 1949–50, 1951–52, 1958–59, 1961–62, 1969–70), RFL Lancashire Cup (21. 1905–06, 1908–09, 1909–10, 1912–13, 1922–23, 1928–29, 1938–39, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1966–67, 1971–72, 1973–74, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1992–93)

Put simply, Wigan Warriors are a dynasty. Very much the Liverpool/Manchester United (delete as you find appropriate) of rugby league, they dominate the history of the sport and the record books. Of all the trophies they have won, they hold the record for the most competition wins in the following: League titles (24), Challenge Cup (21), Premiership (Tied with Widnes on 6), Lancashire League (18), Lancashire Cup (21), John Player’s/Regal Trophy (8), and the World Club Challenge (tied with Sydney Roosters on 5). That is a legacy few can match in any sport.

Most generations have had successful Wigan sides in them, back from the early 1900s, but to many, their most successful era came in the late 80s-early 90s, where they won seven back-to-back league titles, and eight back-to-back Challenge Cups between 1988 and 1996. That run includes three trebles of Championship, Premiership, and Challenge Cup, and you could say two of those years were actually quadruples when one factors in the World Club Challenges they won in 1991 and 1994. The sheer scale of their ruthlessness in their pursuit of trophies is mind-boggling.

Their last success, of course, came in 2024, when they swept the board, winning all four trophies (World Club Challenge, Super League, League Leaders’ Shield, and Challenge Cup) on offer to them. As discussed, that’s not even the first time the team has accomplished that feat, which speaks to the legacy of Wigan as a rugby league juggernaut. To put it in to perspective, Wigan are forty-one trophies ahead of Leeds & St Helens. That means that, in order to surpass them, one of those teams would have to win the treble for the next fourteen consecutive years. It’s safe to say that the Wigan Warriors’ place as the kings of rugby league will be safe for decades to come.

Written by Nathan Major (Site editor & Hull KR fan)