EPCR Media release
- Defending Investec Champions Cup winners Union Bordeaux Bègles headline Pool 3 alongside DHL Stormers, Racing 92, Munster Rugby, Bristol Bears and Gloucester Rugby.
- URC champions Leinster Rugby begin their quest for glory in Pool 1, alongside Glasgow Warriors, Section Paloise, Sale Sharks, Leicester Tigers and ASM Clermont Auvergne
- TOP 14 champions and six-time Investec Champions Cup winners Stade Toulousain launch their campaign in a star-studded Pool 2, featuring former champions Saracens, Stade Rochelais and Exeter Chiefs, newcomers Lions, and Connacht Rugby on their return to the top tier competition.
- Gallagher PREM champions Northampton Saints head up Pool 4, alongside Bath Rugby, Cardiff Rugby, Montpellier Hérault Rugby, Stade Français Paris and Vodacom Bulls
- 2026/27 season fixtures to be announced later this month.
- Two tournament rule changes introduced ahead of the new season – qualification into the Round of 16 and Offensive Try Bonus
The countdown to the start of the 2026/27 Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup officially began today as the Pool Draws for the competitions took place at the Premier Sports studios in Dublin.
Hosted by presenters Elma Smit and Benjamin Boyet (beIN SPORTS), the event featured Premier Sports pundit and former Ireland international Stephen Ferris as the official ball drawer, with Legal Consultant David Hurley serving as independent scrutineer.
Fans around the globe tuned in via a live stream on EPCRugby.com and EPCR TV, with additional broadcasts on Premier Sports (UK and Ireland), beIN SPORTS (France), SuperSport (South Africa), FloRugby (USA), OnRugby.it (Italy) Georgia Rugby (Georgia), and Rugbyrama (France).
The 2026/27 season will once again adopt the pool format, setting the stage for a series of thrilling showdowns between Europe and South Africa’s top-tier clubs, kicking off on Friday 16 October.
Earlier this week, EPCR confirmed the introduction of two sporting rule changes this season as part of their regular review of the tournaments. The first rule change is related to the Round of 16 qualification and is intended to increase the jeopardy and competitiveness of the Pool stages. The second applies to the Try Bonus Point system.
Investec Champions Cup Pool Draw
The stage is set for another blockbuster Investec Champions Cup campaign, with the draw producing four mouth-watering pools packed with champions, historic rivals and European heavyweights.
Tier 1 clubs – defending champions Union Bordeaux Bègles, TOP 14 winners Stade Toulousain, Gallagher PREM champions Northampton Saints and United Rugby Championship winners Leinster Rugby – were each drawn into separate pools, laying the foundations for a thrilling race to the knockout stages.
Four-time champions and last season’s runners-up Leinster Rugby were the first club out of the drum and headline a fiercely competitive Pool 1. They will renew their rivalries against Sale Sharks and Leicester Tigers, alongside Section Paloise and ASM Clermont Auvergne. Fellow URC powerhouse Glasgow Warriors completes the Pool.
Record six-time champions Stade Toulousain lead the way in Pool 2, where they’ll be joined by competition newcomers Lions, three-time champions Saracens, two-time winners Stade Rochelais, 2020 champions Exeter Chiefs and Connacht Rugby, who return to the premier club competition for the first time since the 2023/24 season.
Fresh from lifting their second Investec Champions Cup title, defending champions Union Bordeaux Bègles top Pool 3. They are joined by DHL Stormers, Racing 92, Munster Rugby, Bristol Bears and Gloucester Rugby in another stacked group.
Pool 4 promises no shortage of drama, with Northampton Saints leading the way alongside last season’s semi-finalists, fellow Gallagher PREM club Bath Rugby. Cardiff Rugby, reigning EPCR Challenge Cup champions Montpellier Hérault Rugby, Stade Français Paris and the Vodacom Bulls complete a pool loaded with quality and knockout-stage ambitions.
| EPCR Challenge Cup Pool Draw The draw served up three fascinating EPCR Challenge Cup pools, with plenty of heavyweight clashes and intriguing storylines to look forward to. Invited South African side Toyota Cheetahs were the first club out of the drum, going in Pool 1 alongside 2026 runners-up Ulster Rugby, USAP, last season’s semi-finalists Dragons RFC, Aviron Bayonnais and Zebre Parma. Pool 2 is equally as stacked, with Benetton Rugby set to renew their rivalry with 2022 champions LOU Rugby after the sides also met in last season’s pool stages. They are joined by Newcastle Red Bulls, 2024 winners Hollywoodbets Sharks, Castres Olympique and Scarlets, creating another fiercely competitive group. Ospreys head up Pool 3 after being the first team drawn, alongside Edinburgh Rugby, Black Lion, three-time Challenge Cup winners Harlequins – the competition’s joint most successful club – 2023 champions RC Toulon and RC Vannes, who return to the tournament again after debuting in the 2024/25 season. With European pedigree, returning contenders and emerging challengers all in the mix, Pool 3 looks set to deliver some of the competition’s standout encounters. With the Pools now set, fixture schedules for both tournaments including dates, venues, kick-off times and TV coverage will be announced later this month. Fixtures are determined following the input of individual club calendar and venue considerations, broadcast requirements and league calendar restrictions into an algorithm with the outcomes of today’s Pool Draws, all of which are considered to deliver the optimum fixture schedules. The 2026/27 Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup seasons will again be played over eight weekends with four rounds of matches in the pool stage starting in October, followed by a knockout stage consisting of a Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, culminating in the EPCR Finals Weekend in French city of Lyon on 21 and 22 May. |
| 2026/27 INVESTEC CHAMPIONS CUP Pool 1: Leinster Rugby Glasgow Warriors, Section Paloise, Sale Sharks, Leicester Tigers, ASM Clermont AuvergnePool 2: Stade Toulousain, Lions, Saracens, Stade Rochelais, Exeter Chiefs, Connacht RugbyPool 3: Union Bordeaux Begles, DHL Stormers, Racing 92, Munster Rugby, Bristol Bears, Gloucester RugbyPool 4: Northampton Saints, Bath Rugby, Cardiff Rugby, Montpellier Hérault Rugby, Stade Français Paris, Vodacom Bulls 2026/27 EPCR CHALLENGE CUP Pool 1: Toyota Cheetahs, Ulster Rugby, USAP, Dragons RFC, Aviron Bayonnais, Zebre ParmaPool 2: Benetton Rugby, LOU Rugby, Newcastle Red Bulls, Hollywoodbets Sharks, Castres Olympique, ScarletsPool 3: Ospreys, Edinburgh Rugby, Black Lion, Harlequins, RC Toulon, RC Vannes 2026/27 Match WeekendsRound 1 – 16/17/18 October 2026Round 2 – 11/12/13 December 2026 Round 3 – 8/9/10 January 2027Round 4 – 15/16/17 January 2027 Round of 16 – 2/3/4 April 2027 Quarter-Finals – 9/10/11 April 2027Semi-Finals – 30 April / 1/2 May 2027 Lyon 2027 Finals Weekend, OL StadiumEPCR Challenge Cup Final: Friday 21 May 2027Investec Champions Cup Final: Saturday 22 May 2027 |