RL Commercial has set the challenge cup final 2026 entertainment line-up one month before Wembley Stadium stages the Betfred Challenge Cup Finals Day on Saturday 30 May 2026. Laura Wright will sing Abide with Me and the National Anthem before the Men’s Betfred Challenge Cup Final, giving the day a familiar opening before kickoff.
The announcement covers both the men’s and women’s finals. It also puts the half-time and pitch-side roles in place early, with Michael Aldag booked for the men’s final break and Pete Nuttall and Ellie Scarlett Smith sharing hosting duties on the day.
Laura Wright at Wembley
Wright arrives with a strong live résumé. She is one of the world’s leading classical artists and has previously performed at the Randox Grand National and last season’s ABK Beer Rugby League Ashes tests. Her role before the men’s final is the headline booking in a schedule that was fixed a month out from the event.
Jasmine Faulkner will handle the same duties before the Women’s Challenge Cup Final, singing Abide with Me and the National Anthem ahead of that match. Faulkner is a British Iranian soprano, and her inclusion means both finals will have their own pre-match singer rather than sharing one performance.
Michael Aldag and the half-time slot
Aldag will perform at half-time of the men’s final as part of the Join the Momentum dance performance. The 24-year-old singer-songwriter has already sold out four UK headline tours and has appeared at Reading and Leeds and Radio 1’s Big Weekend, which gives the interval slot a different profile from the pre-match anthem duties.
That split matters because the day is being built around separate jobs: one singer for each final, one act for the men’s half-time break, and a pair of hosts to keep the pitch-side coverage moving. The line-up is broad, but each role is specific.
Pete Nuttall and Ellie Scarlett Smith
Pete Nuttall will again be the pitch side host, and Ellie Scarlett Smith joins him this year. Smith has presented at World Table Tennis and the Silverstone and Miami Grands Prix, and has also hosted The Hundred at Headingley, the Kia Oval and Lord’s.
Charlie Burley will add the soundtrack on the day. He has played at Lord’s, The Oval, the Principality Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, giving Wembley another established live setting for the finals programme. With the music, hosting and anthem roles all named in advance, the day now has a full entertainment map before the teams even reach the tunnel.
