[2] Defending champions Warrington Wolves who won the 2019 title beating St Helens 18–4 at Wembley Stadium on 24 August 2019 were knocked out by Salford in the semi-finals.
[5] The suspension was followed, on 19 May 2020, with confirmation from the Rugby Football League (RFL) of the postponement of the Challenge Cup Final, which had been scheduled for 18 July at Wembley Stadium.
[9] Serbian club, Red Star who played in 2019 declined an invitation to enter in 2020 due to the demands the trip to England made on their players.
[15] It was hoped that spectators would be allowed into the final but on 28 September, the RFL confirmed that due to new COVID-19 restrictions being announced that the game will be played behind closed doors for the first time in the history of the competition.
Rovers were one of four Super League clubs joining the competition at this stage, alongside Huddersfield Giants, Toronto Wolfpack and Wakefield Trinity.
[33] Defending champions Warrington were due to start the defence of their title at this stage, along with other Super League teams Castleford, Catalans, Hull FC, Leeds, Salford, St Helens and Wigan.
[34] The fixtures drawn on 16 March were:[34] On 17 July 2020, the RFL announced that the competition would resume on 22 August with a double header at the John Smith's Stadium, Huddersfield involving the Warrington v Wigan and Salford v St Helens with both games shown live on BBC TV.
[35] A few days later on 21 July Toronto Wolfpack announced that the club would be taking no further part in the Challenge Cup due to financial problems associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The following day, the five non-Super League teams left in the cup; Featherstone Rovers, Newcastle Thunder, Sheffield Eagles, York City Knights, and Widnes Vikings, all announced that they were withdrawing from the competition.
[37] During the week of 10 August, a number of Hull players and coaching staff tested positive for COVID-19, so the club's next fixtures, including the sixth round tie against Castleford were postponed.