THE Rugby Football League is targeting a record crowd at next year's Betfred Women's Challenge Cup final at Elland Road.

The Cup final will take place in a triple header alongside both semi-finals of the men's Betfred Challenge Cup on Saturday, May 7.

Given that Leeds United's home ground has a capacity of almost 38,000, the RFL are eyeing up a new record crowd at a domestic women's rugby league match.

The current highest attendance was set at 4,235 at the Betfred Women's Super League Grand Final at Headingley back in October.

Next year's Women's Challenge Cup will be revamped from previous editions, with York City Knights Ladies being named in pool one.

The Cup's new format sees 16 teams spread among four seeded groups with York alongside St Helens, Leeds Rhinos and Castleford Tigers in the top pool.

As a result, those clubs - who all finished in the top four of the Betfred Women's Super League - will be kept apart at the first round stage.

Fellow top-flight sides Wigan Warriors, Huddersfield Giants, Featherstone Rovers and Warrington Wolves are in pool two.

Super League newcomers Barrow Raiders and Leigh Miners Rangers join Bradford Bulls and Wakefield Trinity in pool three.

Pool four meanwhile consists of Championship sides Hull FC, Oulton Raidettes, Widnes Vikings as well as The Army, who were the inaugural Super League South finalists last season.

The Women's Challenge Cup kicks off in mid-March and the Knights will play three matches as they seek to secure progression to the latter stages of the competition.

The top two from each group will progress to the quarter-finals, with the group winners guaranteeing home advantage.

York will discover their group opponents on Tuesday in the first round draw at Elland Road.

The draw will be streamed live on the RFL’s Our League website and app.

The full schedule of matches will be published as soon as possible following the draw, with the Betfred Women’s Super League fixture list also set to be finalised soon.

Tickets for the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup Final and Challenge Cup triple header at Elland Road to go on sale in the New Year.