Key dates confirmed for 2026/27 Champions and Challenge Cup season

February 27, 2026
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Ultimate Rugby

EPCR, the tournament organiser of the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup, has confirmed key dates for the 2026/27 season, with the EPCR Finals Weekend set to take place on Friday 21 and Saturday 22 May in the French sporting capital of Lyon.

The Pool Draws will take place on Wednesday 1 July 2026, setting the scene for the Pool Stages that will get underway on Friday 16 October, in a return to an October start. Round 2 will remain in its usual December window.

French cities have staged the Champions Cup Final on five occasions, and in 2027, Lyon will once again host the biggest weekend in club rugby at the 59,186-seat OL Stadium - marking the second time the stadium has welcomed the Final after first doing so in 2016.

On that memorable weekend, a capacity crowd watched Saracens defeat Racing 92 by 21 points to 9, to claim the first of their three titles, while Montpellier overcame Harlequins 26-19 to lift their first Challenge Cup trophy.

Lyon is the perfect stage for an EPCR Finals weekend - delivering electric atmosphere, world-class rugby, and an unforgettable welcome. As fans from around the globe come together to celebrate the very best in international club rugby, they’ll also discover a city rich in history, culture, and cuisine - proudly known as the French Capital of Gastronomy.

EPCR CEO Jacques Raynaud said:

“We are pleased to confirm next season’s key dates for the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup. The 2026/27 season, starting once again in October as our competitions did pre-Covid, will build to a wonderful finale in Lyon’s superb OL Stadium, where we will return after a successful Finals weekend in 2016. We are delighted to be returning to this venue, which has already staged EPCR Finals, Rugby World Cup and Six Nations matches.

“The Road to Lyon will get underway on Wednesday 1 July, when we will broadcast the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup Pool Draws live from Premier Sports’ studio, and we thank our UK and Ireland broadcast partner for their support in delivering this key element in mapping out the Pool Stages.

“We are also excited to see the opening round of those Pool Stages return to the pre-Covid October slot, a recommendation put forward by EPCR and unanimously agreed by the three Leagues, with EPCR competitions part of the club rugby dynamic from the start of the season in a move that is welcomed by fans and commercial partners alike.”