The 2026 season is the Castleford Tigers' 101st season in the Rugby Football League and their 19th consecutive season in the top flight of English rugby league. The club are competing in the 2026 Super League and the 2026 Challenge Cup.
Castleford began the season under new head coach Ryan Carr before he left the club for personal reasons in August, with director of rugby Chris Chester taking charge as caretaker. The team is captained by Alex Mellor.
Kits Supplier: Oxen Main sponsor: CBR Engineering
First-team squad
Transfers and loans
Transfers in Player From Contract Date Ref.14 Brock Greacen Newcastle Knights2 years31 July 20251 Blake Taaffe Canterbury Bulldogs3 years25 August 20255 Mikaele Ravalawa St George Illawarra3 years29 August 20252 Semi Valemei North Queensland Cowboys2 years2 September 202511 Jordan Lane Hull FC4 years10 September 202515 Jack Ashworth Hull FC2 years27 September 20258 Renouf Atoni Wakefield Trinity2 years29 September 20259 Liam Hood Wakefield Trinity1 year2 October 20254 Darnell McIntosh Leigh Leopards2 years13 October 20257 Tom Weaver Gold Coast Titans2 years24 October 202520 Aiden Doolan Barrow Raiders2 years12 November 202530 Jimmy Beckett Featherstone Rovers1 year5 January 202623 Krystian Mapapalangi Wests Tigers2 years22 January 202631 Ashton Golding Huddersfield Giants½ year18 February 202632 George Hirst Wigan Warriors2½ years10 March 202636 Tyler Dupree Wigan Warriors3½ years27 April 202635 Phoenix Laulu-Togaga'e Catalans Dragons3½ years27 April 202639 Jack Brown Hull Kingston Rovers2½ years2 June 2026
Loans in Player From Loan type Arrival Return Ref.32 George Hirst Wigan WarriorsOne-month16 February 202633 Tom Forber Wigan WarriorsOne-month, recall24 March 20266 April 202634 Jake Thewlis Warrington WolvesOne-month, recall30 March 20266 April 202638 Tom Nicholson-Watton Leeds RhinosOne-week, rolling28 April 20265 May 202637 Brad Dwyer Salford RLFCOne-week28 April 20265 May 202641 Lazarus Vaalepu Leigh LeopardsSeason-long18 August 202642 Keanan Brand Leigh LeopardsSeason-long19 August 202643 Ben McNamara Leigh LeopardsSeason-long19 August 2026
Transfers out Player To Contract Date Ref.41 Tom Amone Hull Kingston Rovers3 years15 April 202515 George Griffin Sheffield Eagles2 years5 September 202524 Josh Simm Catalans Dragons2 years6 September 202511 Jeremiah Simbiken London Broncos1 year11 September 202525 Will Tate Wakefield Trinity1 year15 September 202518 Josh Hodson Sheffield Eagles2 years15 September 202517 Luke Hooley Bradford Bulls2 years23 September 20254 Sam Wood York Knights1 year27 September 20255 Innes Senior Leigh Leopards2 years9 October 202520 Muizz Mustapha Doncaster R.L.F.C.2 years10 October 20259 Liam Horne Leigh Leopards3 years24 October 20251 Tex Hoy Manly Sea Eagles1 year22 November 202544 Andy Djeukessi Newcastle Thunder1 year24 December 202517 Chris Atkin Bradford Bulls½ year18 March 202619 Brad Singleton Barrow Raiders½ year26 May 20263 Zac Cini colspan="2" 5 July 202615 Jack Ashworth Leigh Leopards2½ years18 August 2026
Loans out Player To Loan type Departure Return Ref.20 Aiden Doolan Barrow RaidersSeason-long15 January 202619 March 2026— Akim Matvejev Batley BulldogsSeason-long28 January 202628 George Hill Keighley CougarsSeason-long30 January 202625 May 2026— Alfie Salmon Keighley CougarsSeason-long13 February 202620 March 202624 Jenson Windley Salford RLFCOne-week, rolling26 February 202619 March 202626 Alfie Lindsey Halifax PanthersOne-week, rolling5 March 202627 April 202627 Cain Robb Batley BulldogsOne-month31 March 202628 April 202630 Jimmy Beckett Goole VikingsOne-week, rolling1 April 20269 April 202630 Jimmy Beckett Sheffield EaglesOne-month9 April 202628 April 202624 Jenson Windley Salford RLFCOne-week, rolling7 May 202614 May 2026— Daniel Sarbah Salford RLFCOne-week, rolling7 May 202622 June 2026One-month22 May 202630 Jimmy Beckett Batley BulldogsOne-month3 June 2026— Sam Grice Hunslet RLFCSeason-long22 June 202615 Jack Ashworth Doncaster RLFCOne-month23 June 20269 July 202620 Aiden Doolan Hunslet RLFCSeason-long, recall30 June 202617 August 202624 Jenson Windley Halifax PanthersOne-month2 July 20269 July 2026— Woody Walker Whitehaven RLFCOne-week, rolling10 July 2026— Alfie Horwell Newcastle ThunderSeason-long14 July 20265 Mikaele Ravalawa Doncaster RLFCSeason-long, recall30 July 202612 August 202620 Aiden Doolan Widnes VikingsSeason-long20 August 202626 Alfie Lindsey Widnes VikingsSeason-long20 August 2026— Corey Sharpe Salford RLFCSeason-long20 August 2026— Harrison Jewitt Workington TownSeason-long20 August 2026
Pre-season friendlies Castleford announced pre-season fixtures against Featherstone Rovers, Oldham, Leeds Rhinos and St Helens. The Leeds fixture served as a testimonial match for Brad Singleton, and the St Helens match for Matty Lees. The Featherstone friendly was cancelled after the opponents entered administration in December. Castleford had additionally planned to attend a pre-season training camp in Spain and play Oldham as part of the Benidorm Bash rugby league festival, however the event was cancelled by the organisers. The fixture was rearranged to Wheldon Road, although was later postponed due to a frozen pitch.
Super League
In November 2025, in the days prior to the Super League fixture release, clubs revealed their schedules for the opening round, Rivals Round, and the Magic Weekend. On 27 November, the full Super League fixture list was announced.
Results
League table
Challenge Cup
Castleford entered the 2026 Challenge Cup in the third round, scheduled to be played in early February prior to the start of the Super League season. As a top flight club, they were guaranteed an away tie against non-Super League opposition. In the third-round draw on 12 January, Castleford were selected to face the winners of the second-round tie between Doncaster and Newcastle Thunder. They were drawn to play St Helens at home in the fourth round.
References
External links Castleford Tigers official website