when do super league teams enter the challenge cup
2018 Challenge Cup The format of the competition is eight knock-out rounds followed by a final. The first two rounds are composed entirely of 48 amateur teams. The 12 winners of the second round ties are joined in round three by the 14 League 1 teams. For the fourth round, the 13 winners from round 3 are joined by 11 of the 12 Championship teams, (Toulouse Olympique who play in the Championship, have declined to enter the 2018 cup competition.)[3] Round five will see four Super League teams entering the competition. These are the four teams that finished in the top four positions of the 2017 Qualifiers and are Warrington Wolves, Widnes Vikings, Hull Kingston Rovers and Catalan Dragons. The remaining eight Super League teams join in round six.
EFL Cup The tournament is played over seven rounds, with single leg ties throughout, except the semi-finals. The final is held at Wembley Stadium; it is the only tie in the competition played at a neutral venue and on a weekend (Sunday). Entrants are seeded in the early rounds, and a system of byes based on league level ensures higher ranked teams enter in later rounds, and to defer the entry of teams still involved in Europe. Winners receive the EFL Cup,[1] of which there have been three designs, the current one also being the original. Winners also qualify for European football with a place in the UEFA Europa League – although this place is transferred to the highest-placed Premier League team not already qualified for European competition, should the winner also qualify for Europe through other means at the end of the season. The current holders are Manchester United, who beat Southampton 3–2 in the 2017 final to win their fifth League Cup.