ðə fˈɔːɹmæt ʌvðə pɹˈiːviəs sˈiːzənz tʃˈælɪndʒ kˈʌp ɹᵻmˈeɪnd ðə sˈeɪm wɪð ɐ sˈɛpɹət ɹˈaʊndɹˈɑːbɪn ɡɹˈuːp stˈeɪdʒ æt ðə bɪɡˈɪnɪŋ ʌvðə sˈiːzən.
The format of the previous season's Challenge Cup remained the same with a separate round-robin group stage at the beginning of the season.