- 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
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Click HERE for the full explanation of the Investec Champions Cup Tournament Rules and HERE for the EPCR Challenge Cup Rules.
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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 calendars 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 the 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 Auvergne
Pool 2: Stade Toulousain, Lions, Saracens, Stade Rochelais, Exeter Chiefs, Connacht Rugby
Pool 3: Union Bordeaux Begles, DHL Stormers, Racing 92, Munster Rugby, Bristol Bears, Gloucester Rugby
Pool 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 Parma
Pool 2: Benetton Rugby, LOU Rugby, Newcastle Red Bulls, Hollywoodbets Sharks, Castres Olympique, Scarlets
Pool 3: Ospreys, Edinburgh Rugby, Black Lion, Harlequins, RC Toulon, RC Vannes
2026/27 Match Weekends
Round 1 - 16/17/18 October 2026
Round 2 - 11/12/13 December 2026
Round 3 - 8/9/10 January 2027
Round 4 - 15/16/17 January 2027
Round of 16 - 2/3/4 April 2027
Quarter-Finals - 9/10/11 April 2027
Semi-Finals - 30 April / 1/2 May 2027
Lyon 2027 Finals Weekend, OL Stadium
EPCR Challenge Cup Final: Friday 21 May 2027
Investec Champions Cup Final: Saturday 22 May 2027
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Toyota Cheetahs
Sanlam Boland Kavaliers
Vodacom Bulls
Suzuki Griquas
Fidelity ADT Lions
Airlink Pumas 
Hollywoodbets Sharks
DHL Western Province