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Widnes Vikings RLFC are a professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They play in the Co-Operative Championship, which is the second tier of European Rugby League. Widnes was one of the original twenty-two rugby clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895, making them one of the world's first rugby league teams. Their traditional nickname is "The Chemics" after the main industry in Widnes, but the club also use their more modern nickname in 'The Vikings'. They have a strong rivalry with Warrington and resisted the idea of merger with their rivals at the beginning of Superleague in 1995. Before Super League they were one of the strongest teams in British rugby league and they were dubbed "Cup Kings" after going to Wembley nearly every year
in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

After a brief spell in Super League (2002–2005), it was announced on 9 October 2007 that, following the club's defeat to Castleford in the Co-Operative National League 1 Grand final, the club would go into administration.This had been the result of a club which had been poorly run for several years. However, on 1 November 2007 the club was purchased by Steve O'Connor, a local businessman,who had just sold his business to the Stobart Group. He invested a substantial amount of money into his home town club, with the dream of returning Widnes RLFC back to the glory days.

Full name	Widnes Vikings Rugby RLFC
Nickname(s)	The Vikings, The Chemics
Founded	1875 (as Farnworth and Appleton Football Club)