University Challenge 2025–26

Last updated

The 55th series of University Challenge began on 14 July 2025 on BBC Two. [1]

Contents

Twenty-eight teams were selected for the televised episodes, of which the University of Lincoln, Harper Adams University and Green Templeton College, Oxford made their University Challenge debuts.

Results

First round

Team 1ScoreTeam 2TotalBroadcast date
University of Sheffield 170210 University of Warwick 38014 July 2025
University College London 210170 School of Oriental and African Studies 38021 July 2025
University of Bath 70255 University of Southampton 32528 July 2025
University of Newcastle 105200 University of Edinburgh 3054 August 2025
University of Manchester 170150 New College, Oxford 32011 August 2025
Cardiff University 115180 University of Bristol 29518 August 2025
Trinity College, Cambridge 210115 Linacre College, Oxford 32525 August 2025
Lancaster University 145170 University of Lincoln 3151 September 2025
Green Templeton College, Oxford 130135 Darwin College, Cambridge 2658 September 2025
Trinity Hall, Cambridge 135215 London School of Economics 35015 September 2025
Durham University 120235 Merton College, Oxford 35522 September 2025
Harper Adams University 45205 University of Strathclyde 25029 September 2025
Imperial College London 160175 Churchill College, Cambridge 3356 October 2025
Magdalen College, Oxford 245105 Robinson College, Cambridge 35014 October 2025

Highest scoring losers play-offs

Team 1ScoreTeam 2TotalBroadcast date
School of Oriental and African Studies 115220 Imperial College London 33520 October 2025
University of Sheffield 175125 New College, Oxford 30027 October 2025

Second round

Team 1ScoreTeam 2TotalBroadcast date
Magdalen College, Oxford 80190 Darwin College, Cambridge 2703 November 2025
University of Sheffield 29060 University of Strathclyde 35010 November 2025
University of Southampton 180190 Imperial College London 37017 November 2025
University of Bristol 145180 University of Warwick 32524 November 2025
University of Manchester 160135 London School of Economics 2951 December 2025
Trinity College, Cambridge 150180 University of Edinburgh 3308 December 2025
University of Lincoln University College London 15 December 2025 [2]
Churchill College, Cambridge Merton College, Oxford 5 January 2026 [3]

Quarter-finals

Team 1ScoreTeam 2TotalBroadcast date

Semi-finals

Team 1ScoreTeam 2TotalBroadcast date

Final

Team 1ScoreTeam 2TotalBroadcast date

Spin-off: Christmas Special 2025

A spin-off Christmas series has been aired since 2011, featuring distinguished alumni. For the 2025 series, teams who appeared on the programme before were invited back to have another go, in break of the tradition of inviting new famous graduates.

First round

Out of seven first-round winners, only the top four highest-scoring teams progress to the semi-finals.

Team 1ScoreTeam 2TotalBroadcast date
Durham University University of Manchester 22 December 2025
University College London University of Leeds 23 December 2025
Keble College, Oxford University of Hull 24 December 2025
Trinity College, Cambridge University of Bristol 26 December 2025
Exeter College, Oxford Trinity Hall, Cambridge 28 December 2025
St Hilda's College, Oxford University of Edinburgh 29 December 2025
Middlesex University University of Lancaster 30 December 2025

Semi-finals

Team 1ScoreTeam 2TotalBroadcast date
31 December 2025
1 January 2026

Final

Team 1ScoreTeam 2TotalBroadcast date
2 January 2026

References

  1. "University Challenge, 2025/26, Episode 1". BBC . Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  2. "University Challenge, 2025/26, Lincoln vs UCL". BBC . Retrieved 25 November 2025.
  3. "University Challenge, 2025/26, Churchill College, Cambridge vs Merton College, Oxford". BBC . Retrieved 11 December 2025.