THE Rugby League Challenge Cup Final is set to return to Wembley in 2006, according to chairman Sir Rodney Walker.

Sir Rodney says the new National Stadium should be ready to host rugby league once more in four years' time.

Sir Rodney, chairman of UK Sport, said: "If things go well, we can look forward to the Challenge Cup returning to Wembley in 2006.

"If we begin work on the site, as we hope, in the spring we have a 40-month build contract which will get us to the stadium being complete in about August 2005."

The final will return to Murrayfield for the second time in three years on April 27, and Sir Rodney revealed Cardiff's Millennium Stadium will host the showpiece event in 2003 and 2005.

Dublin is thought to be among the candidates to plug the 2004 vacancy. But there are no plans to return to Twickenham, venue for last year's final.