A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
 | |
| Duration | 9 Rounds |
|---|---|
| Highest attendance | 76,560 |
| Broadcast partners |  BBC Sport |
| Winners |  Warrington Wolves |
| Runners-up |  Huddersfield |
| Biggest home win |  Featherstone Rovers 94–2 The Army |
| Biggest away win |  Batley Bulldogs 4–66  Salford City Reds |
| Lance Todd Trophy | Michael Monaghan |
The 2009 Challenge Cup (also known as the Carnegie Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 108th staging of the most prestigious knock-out competition in rugby league. Teams from England, Scotland, Wales, France and Russia were included in the tournament. It began in January 2009.
Teams from the Co-operative Championship received byes into round three along with four teams from France, and the winner of the Russian Championship. Teams from the Super League enter in round four.
Defending champions St. Helens lost in the semi-final 14 – 24 to the Huddersfield Giants who went on to lose the final 16 – 25 to the Warrington Wolves.
For 2009, the early stages of the competition was revamped. As the competition has expanded, there was now a preliminary round before the first round, and teams were placed into two 'pools' for the preliminary, first and second rounds.
Pools
Pool A features 48 teams, made up as follows:
- The 40 teams from the National Conference League
- The winners of the five major BARLA Regional Leagues
- The winners of the three major BARLA Regional Cup Competitions – Yorkshire, North West & Cumberland
Pool B features 16 teams, which is a mixed bag of Rugby League Conference teams (including representatives from Scotland and Wales), armed forces representative teams and University teams.
Preliminary round
Pool A
All matches were due to be played on 3–4 January, however, winter weather forced the postponement of most of these fixtures due to frozen pitches. The round is divided into two pools, with several teams receiving a bye to the First Round:[1]
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 † | Eccles and Salford Juniors | 6–22 | Saddleworth Rangers |
| 2 † | Egremont Rangers | 14–8 | Thornhill Trojans |
| 3 † | Ovenden | 22–20 | Oulton Raiders |
| 4 | Skirlaugh | 56–4 | Heworth |
| 5 † | Wath Brow Hornets | 18–14 | Millom |
| 6 | Siddal | 30–12 | Normanton Knights |
| 7 † | Stanningley | 16–18 | Hull Dockers |
| 8 † | Halifax Irish | 10–22 | Bradford Dudley Hill |
| 9 † | Rochdale Mayfield | 12–36 | Leigh East |
| 10 | Halton Simms Cross | 46–12 | York Acorn |
| 11 † | Ellenborough | 4–20 | Wigan St Patricks |
| 12 † | Bank Quay Bulls | 6–19 | Queens |
| 13 † | Oldham St Annes | 16–30 | Wigan St Judes |
| 14 † | Widnes St Maries | 22–8 | Ince Rose Bridge |
| 15 | Shaw Cross Sharks | 16–21 | Castleford Lock Lane |
| 16 | Stanley Rangers | 12–40 | Leigh Miners Rangers |
†: fixtures rearranged due to frozen pitches. New dates varied between teams, depending on clashes with league fixtures and weather.
Pool B
Fixtures played 17–18 January:[1]
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bristol Sonics | 8–52 | Leeds Met Carnegie |
| 2 | University of Wales Institute | 18–20 | Valley Cougars |
| 3 | Loughborough University | 26–16 | Nottingham Outlaws |
| 4 | West London Sharks | 10–22 | The Army |
Pool A Byes: West Hull, Thatto Heath Crusaders, Myton Warriors, Orchard Park and Greenwood, Eastmoor Dragons, East Hull, Sharlston Rovers, Kells, Hull Isberg, East Leeds, Pilkington Recs, West Bowling, Milford Marlins, Crossfields, Waterhead, Castleford Panthers
Pool B Byes: St Mary's University College, RAF, Warrington Wizards, Featherstone Lions, Hull University, Edinburgh Eagles, Northumbria University, Royal Navy
Round 1
All matches played on 24–25 January. The round was divided into two pools, with the teams that received a bye in the last round entering.[1]
Pool A
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kells | 26–14 | Eastmoor Dragons |
| 2 | West Hull | 56–0 | East Leeds |
| 3 | West Bowling | 32–6 | East Hull |
| 4 | Milford Marlins | 14–24 | Pilkington Recs |
| 5 † | Hull Dockers | 34–4 | Ovenden |
| 6 † | Castleford Panthers | 12–26 | Leigh Miners Rangers |
| 7 | Waterhead | 14–16 | Castleford Lock Lane |
| 8 † | Siddal | 36–12 | Thatto Heath |
| 9 † | Crosfields | 10–36 | Sharlston Rovers |
| 10 | Wigan St Patricks | 24–18 | Skirlaugh |
| 11 | Egremont Rangers | 0–42 | Wath Brow Hornets |
| 12 | Leigh East | 68–0 | Orchard Park and Greenwood |
| 13 | Hull Isberg | 12–36 | Saddleworth Rangers |
| 14 | Queens | 13–0 | Halton Simms Cross |
| 15 | Wigan St Judes | 34–20 | Myton Warriors |
| 16 | Bradford Dudley Hill | 19–24 | Widnes St Maries |
†: fixtures rearranged for 31 January due to flooded pitches.
Pool B
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Featherstone Lions | 18–12 | Hull University |
| 2 | RAF | 16–18 | Edinburgh Eagles |
| 3 | Loughborough University | 40–12 | St Mary's University College |
| 4 | Leeds Met Carnegie | 36–6 | Warrington Wizards |
| 5 | The Navy | 38–28 | Valley Cougars |
| 6 | The Army | 72–0 | Northumbria University |
Round 2
Draw hosted by Wath Brow Hornets on 27 January, as the winners of the Cumbrian derby in the first round. Matches were played 14–15 February.[2]
Pool A
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wigan St Patricks | 20–16 | West Hull |
| 2 | Widnes St Maries | 8–15 | Queens |
| 3 | Wath Brow Hornets | 40–22 | Hull Dockers |
| 4 | Kells | 31–22 | Leigh Miners Rangers |
| 5 | Wigan St Judes | 24–28 | Pilkington Recs |
| 6 | Siddal | 34–10 | West Bowling |
| 7 | Sharlston Rovers | 20–10 | Leigh East |
| 8 | Saddleworth | 20–16 | Castleford Lock Lane |