2025–26 EPCR Challenge Cup

Not to be confused with 2025–26 European Rugby Champions Cup.

2025–26 EPCR Challenge Cup
Tournament details
Countries England
France
Georgia
Ireland
Italy
South Africa
Wales
Tournament statistics
Final
VenueSan Mamés Stadium, Bilbao

The 2025–26 EPCR Challenge Cup, known colloquially as the 2025-26 European Challenge Cup[1]will be the twelfth edition of the EPCR Challenge Cup, an annual second-tier rugby union competition for professional clubs competing in elite European competition. Including the predecessor competition, the original European Challenge Cup, this is the 30th edition of European club rugby's second-tier competition.

The final will played at in San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao.[2]

The English team, Bath Rugby, are the reigning champions, and therefore qualified for the 2025–26 European Rugby Champions Cup as a consequence. As they also have a top four domestic finish, the team will not initially defend their title, although they may theoretically join at the knockout phase.

Teams

Sixteen teams qualified for the 2025–26 EPCR Challenge Cup from Premiership Rugby, the Top 14 and the United Rugby Championship as a direct result of their domestic league performance having not qualified for the Champions Cup. Two further sides received invitations, South Africa's Cheetahs and Georgia's Black Lion.

The distribution of teams are:

At the knockout stage, a further four teams will enter the competition from the 2025-26 European Rugby Champions Cup.

Entry Point Premiership Top 14 United Rugby Championship Invited
— England France Ireland Italy Wales South Africa Georgia
Pool stage

Team details

Team Coach /
Director of Rugby 		Captain Stadium Capacity Method of qualification
Entering at Pool stage
Black Lion Richard Cockerill Mikheil Meskhi Stadium 27,223 Invited
Benetton Calum MacRae Stadio Comunale di Monigo 5,000 URC bottom eight (10th)
Cardiff Matt Sherratt Cardiff Arms Park 12,125 URC bottom eight (9th)
Cheetahs François Steyn European venue (TBC) Invited
Connacht Stuart Lancaster The Sportsground 8,129 URC bottom eight (13th)
Dragons Filo Tiatia Rodney Parade 8,700 URC bottom eight (16th)
Exeter Chiefs Rob Baxter Sandy Park 15,600 Premiership bottom two (9th)
Lions Ivan van Rooyen Emirates Airline Park 62,567 URC bottom eight (11th)
Lyon Karim Ghezal Stade de Gerland 25,000 Top 14 bottom six (11th)
Montauban Sébastien Calvet Stade Sapiac 9,210 Pro D2 Champions
Montpellier Joan Caudullo GGL Stadium 15,697 Top 14 bottom six (9th)
Newcastle Falcons Steve Diamond Kingston Park 11,200 Premiership bottom two (10th)
Ospreys Mark Jones TBC URC bottom eight (12th)
Perpignan Franck Azéma Stade Aimé Giral 14,593 Top 14 bottom six (13th)
Racing 92 Patrice Collazo Paris La Défense Arena 30,680 Top 14 bottom six (10th)
Stade Français Paul Gustard Stade Jean-Bouin 20,000 Top 14 bottom six (12th)
Ulster Richie Murphy Ravenhill Stadium 18,196 URC bottom eight (14th)
Zebre Parma Massimo Brunello Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi 5,000 URC bottom eight (15th)

Draw

The 2025/26 EPCR Challenge Cup will see the 18 competing clubs drawn into three pools of six. Like previous seasons, the three pools will be made up of six teams, however clubs from the same nation, cannot be in the same pool, apart from France who will have two French teams in each pool - though they will not face each other in the pool stage, and there cannot be more than three teams from the United Rugby Championship in the same pool.

Pool stage

Pool 1

EPCR Challenge Cup Pool 1
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Black Lion 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Home round of 16
2 Connacht 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Montauban 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Montpellier 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Away round of 16
5 Ospreys 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Zebre Parma 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Source: EPCR[4]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled.

Pool 2

EPCR Challenge Cup Pool 2
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Benetton 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Home round of 16
2 Dragons 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Lions 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Lyon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Away round of 16
5 Newcastle Falcons 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Perpignan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Source: EPCR[5]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled.

Pool 3

EPCR Challenge Cup Pool 3
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Cardiff 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Home round of 16
2 Cheetahs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Exeter Chiefs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Racing 92 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Away round of 16
5 Stade Français 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Ulster 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Source: EPCR[6]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled.

References

  1. ^ "European Challenge Cup Table - Rugby Union". BBC Sport. 12 January 2025. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  2. ^ "2025/26 EPCR season dates announced | Investec Champions Cup". www.epcrugby.com. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  3. ^ "Black Lion and Toyota Cheetahs to continue EPCR Challenge Cup participation for next two seasons". European Professional Club Rugby. 18 June 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Pool Tables | EPCR Challenge Cup". European Professional Club Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Pool Tables | EPCR Challenge Cup". European Professional Club Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Pool Tables | EPCR Challenge Cup". European Professional Club Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
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