2025–26 EPCR Challenge Cup

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.^[3][4]

The distribution of teams are:

• England: two teams
  • Teams in the 2025–26 Premiership season that did not qualify for the 2025–26 Champions Cup.
• France: six teams
  • Teams taking part in the 2025–26 Top 14 season that did not qualify for the 2025–26 Champions Cup.
• Georgia: one team
  • one team, invited, Black Lion
• Ireland, Italy, South Africa and Wales: eight teams
  • Eight teams in the 2025–26 United Rugby Championship season that did not qualify for the 2025–26 Champions Cup. This season, these consist of three teams from Wales (Cardiff, Dragons, and Ospreys), two from Ireland (Ulster Rugby and Connacht Rugby), two from Italy (Benetton and Zebre Parma), and one from South Africa (Lions). No Scottish team enters at the pool stage.
• South Africa: one further team
  • One team, invited, the South African team, Cheetahs, playing their home games in the Netherlands.^[5]

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

• Ireland, one team
  • Munster
• South Africa, one team
  • Sharks
• France, two teams
  • La Rochelle
  • Pau

More information Entry Point, Premiership ...

Entry Point	Premiership	Top 14	United Rugby Championship				Invited
—N/a	England	France	Ireland	Italy	Wales	South Africa		Georgia
Pool stage	Exeter Chiefs Newcastle Red Bulls	Stade Français Lyon Montpellier Racing 92 Perpignan Montauban	Connacht Ulster	Benetton Rugby Zebre Parma	Cardiff Dragons Ospreys	Lions	Cheetahs	Black Lion
Knockout stage		Pau La Rochelle	Munster			Sharks

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Team details

More information Team, Coach / Director of Rugby ...

Team	Coach / Director of Rugby	Captain	Stadium	Capacity	Method of qualification
Entering at Pool stage
Benetton	Calum MacRae	Michele Lamaro	Stadio Comunale di Monigo	5,000	URC bottom eight (10th)
Black Lion	Marco Bortolami (interim) (for Richard Cockerill)[a]	Mikheil Babunashvili	Mikheil Meskhi Stadium Avchala Rugby Stadium	27,223 2,500	Invited
Cardiff	Matt Sherratt	Liam Belcher	Cardiff Arms Park	12,125	URC bottom eight (9th)
Cheetahs	François Steyn	Louis van der Westhuizen	NRCA Stadium	5,000	Invited
Connacht	Stuart Lancaster	Cian Prendergast	Dexcom Stadium	12,500	URC bottom eight (13th)
Dragons	Filo Tiatia	Ben Carter	Rodney Parade	8,700	URC bottom eight (16th)
Exeter Chiefs	Rob Baxter	Dafydd Jenkins	Sandy Park	15,600	Premiership bottom two (9th)
Lions	Ivan van Rooyen	Francke Horn	Emirates Airline Park	62,567	URC bottom eight (11th)
Lyon	Karim Ghezal [fr]	Baptiste Couilloud	Mahmut Stadium	25,000	Top 14 bottom six (11th)
Montauban	Sébastien Tillous-Borde	Fred Quercy	Stade Sapiac	9,210	Pro D2 Champions
Montpellier	Joan Caudullo [fr]	Lenni Nouchi	GGL Stadium	15,697	Top 14 bottom six (9th)
Newcastle Red Bulls	Steve Diamond	George McGuigan	Kingston Park	11,200	Premiership bottom two (10th)
Ospreys	Mark Jones	Jac Morgan	Dunraven Brewery Field	8,000	URC bottom eight (12th)
Perpignan	Mathieu Cidre	Jamie Ritchie	Stade Aimé Giral	14,593	Top 14 bottom six (13th)
Racing 92	Patrice Collazo	Romain Taofifénua	Paris La Défense Arena Stade Dominique Duvauchelle	30,680 12,150	Top 14 bottom six (10th)
Stade Français	Paul Gustard	Paul Gabrillagues	Stade Jean-Bouin	20,000	Top 14 bottom six (12th)
Ulster	Richie Murphy	Iain Henderson	Affidea Stadium	18,196	URC bottom eight (14th)
Zebre Parma	Massimo Brunello	Giovanni Licata	Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi	5,000	URC bottom eight (15th)
Entering at Knockout Stage (transferred from Champions Cup)
La Rochelle	Ronan O'Gara	Grégory Alldritt	Stade Marcel-Deflandre	18,000	Champions Cup Pool 3 5th place
Munster	Clayton McMillan	Tadhg Beirne	Thomond Park, Limerick Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork	25,600 45,000	Champions Cup Pool 2 5th place
Sharks	JP Pietersen	André Esterhuizen	Kings Park Stadium	52,000	Champions Cup Pool 1 5th place
Pau	Sébastien Piqueronies	Lucas Rey	Stade du Hameau	14,999	Champions Cup Pool 4 5th place

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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.

The knockout stage will begin with a single-leg round of 16 matches, consisting of the top 4 teams from each pool, and the teams ranked 5th in each pool of the 2025–26 European Rugby Champions Cup. The round of 16 follows a pre-determined format, while the quarter-finals and semi-finals guarantee home advantage to the higher-ranked team.

Seeding

More information Rank, Team ...

Rank	Team	Pts	Diff	TF
Pool leaders
1	Montpellier	20	+42	18
2	Benetton	19	+93	24
3	Ulster	17	+86	21
Pool runners-up
4	Stade Français	16	+39	19
5	Zebre Parma	14	+18	12
6	Newcastle Red Bulls	13	−3	13
Top two third placed teams
7	Exeter Chiefs	14	+59	18
8	Connacht	13	+108	26
Champions Cup teams
9	Sharks	10	−10	16
10	Munster	8	−2	15
11	La Rochelle	6	−13	15
12	Pau	6	−60	15
Third best third placed team
13	Dragons	9	−52	14
Fourth placed teams
14	Ospreys	13	+5	16
15	Cardiff	10	−30	11
16	Perpignan	8	+4	14

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Bracket

	Round of 16					Quarter-finals					Semi-finals					Final
	1	Montpellier	53
	16	Perpignan	13
						1	Montpellier	45
						8	Connacht	22
	8	Connacht	29
	9	Sharks	12
											1	Montpellier
											13	Dragons
	5	Zebre Parma	31
	12	Pau	15
						5	Zebre Parma	32
						13	Dragons	35
	4	Stade Français	31
	13	Dragons	36
																Ulster
	3	Ulster	28
	14	Ospreys	24
						3	Ulster	41
						11	La Rochelle	24
	6	Newcastle Red Bulls	18
	11	La Rochelle	26
											3	Ulster	29
											7	Exeter Chiefs	12
	2	Benetton	38
	15	Cardiff	35
						2	Benetton	41
						7	Exeter Chiefs	44
	7	Exeter Chiefs	31
	10	Munster	21

Round of 16

3 April 2026 20:00

Connacht (8)	29–12	(9) Sharks
Try: Mullins 22' c Forde (2) 46' c, 62' c Hurley-Langton 54' m Con: Gilbert (3/4) 23', 47', 63' Pen: Gilbert (1/1) 69'	Report	Pen: Smith (4/5) 6', 20', 31', 33'

Dexcom Stadium, Galway Attendance: 6,197 Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)

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4 April 2026 12:30

Exeter Chiefs (7)	31–21	(10) Munster
Try: Vintcent 13' c Slade 20' c Rigg 33' c Feyi-Waboso 38' c Con: Slade (4/4) 14', 21', 34', 40' Pen: Slade (1/1) 28'	Report	Try: Crowley (2) 49' c, 75' c Beirne 68' c Con: Crowley (3/3) 50', 68', 75' Cards: Beirne  73'

Sandy Park, Exeter Attendance: 11,636 Referee: Jeremy Rozier (France)

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4 April 2026 13:30

Montpellier (1)	53–13	(16) Perpignan
Try: Rates (3) 13' m, 27' m, 43' m Echegaray 34' c Price 54' m Piccardo 57' m Riccitelli (2) 67' c, 74' c N'Gandebe 71' c Con: Miotti (1/6) 35' Vincent (3/3) 68', 72', 75'	Report	Try: Ceccarelli 45' c Con: Aucagne (1/1) 45' Pen: Aucagne (2/3) 7', 24' Cards: Velarte  66'

GGL Stadium, Montpellier Attendance: 7,496 Referee: Adam Leal (England)

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4 April 2026 18:30

Benetton (2)	38–35	(15) Cardiff
Try: Menoncello (2) 0' c, 41' m Umaga (2) 2' c, 13' c Gallo 12' c Ratave 28' m Con: Umaga (4/6) 0', 3', 12', 14' Cards: Umaga  45'	Report	Try: Belcher 8' c Beetham (2) 21' c, 53' c Lawrence 39' c Bevan 44' c Con: Sheedy (5/5) 9', 22', 40', 45', 54'

Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Treviso Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Kevin Bralley (France)

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4 April 2026 20:00

Newcastle Red Bulls (6)	18–26	(11) La Rochelle
Try: Obatoyinbo 39' m McCallum 42' c Con: Connon (1/2) 43' Pen: Connon (2/2) 12', 55' Cards: Lee-Warner  56'	Report	Try: West 22' m Favre 30' m Garault 35' m Couillaud 79' Pen: Jurd (2/3) 62', 76' Drop: Jurd (0/1) Cards: West  38'

Kingston Park, Newcastle Attendance: 4,274 Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)

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4 April 2026 20:00

Ulster (3)	28–24	(14) Ospreys
Try: Izuchukwu 3' c McCann 34' c Stockdale 45' c Timoney 55' c Con: Doak (4/4) 4', 35', 46', 56' Cards: Murphy  68'	Report	Try: Morgan-Williams 9' c Kasende 19' c Penalty try 68' Con: D. Edwards (2/2) 9', 20' Pen: D. Edwards (1/1) 29' Cards: Morgan  56'

Affidea Stadium, Belfast Attendance: 7,858 Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe (England)

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5 April 2026 13:30

Stade Français (4)	31–36	(13) Dragons
Try: Ezeala (3) 37' c, 41' c, 61' c Tanga 44' c Con: Foursans-Bourdette (3/3) 38', 42', 45' Henry (1/1) 62' Pen: Foursans-Bourdette (1/1) 52'	Report	Try: O'Brien 8' c Coghlan 19' c Coleman 56' c Dee 69' m Jones 79' c Con: O'Brien (4/5) 9', 20', 57', 80' Pen: O'Brien (1/2) 4'

Stade Jean Bouin, Paris Attendance: 4,432 Referee: Morné Ferreira (South Africa)

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5 April 2026 18:30

Zebre Parma (5)	31–15	(12) Pau
Try: Stavile (2) 2' c, 65' c Trulla 25' c Pitinari 48' c Con: Da Re (4/4) 2', 26', 48', 66 Pen: Da Re (1/1) 75' Cards: Stavile  38' Licata  70'	Report	Try: Tuipulotu 42' m Gorgadze 71' m Butlin 77' m

Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma Attendance: 2,259 Referee: Ben Breakspear (Wales)

Quarter-finals

10 April 2026 20:00

Ulster (3)	41–24	(11) La Rochelle
Try: Z. Ward (2) 4’ c, 46' m O'Toole 24’ c Izuchukwu 36’ c B. Ward 53’ m McCormick 76’ c Con: Doak (3/4) 5’, 25', 37' Flannery (1/1) 77’ Pen: Doak 9' Cards: Z. Ward  28'	Report	Try: Cancoriet 41’ c Latu 51’ c Sclavi 82’ c Con: Jurd (3/3) 42', 52', 83' Pen: Jurd (1/1) 22'

Affidea Stadium, Belfast Attendance: 7,169 Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland)

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11 April 2026 13:30

Montpellier (1)	45–22	(8) Connacht
Try: Penalty try '3 Tolofua 14’ c Haouas 28’ m Miotti 36’ c Cadot 52’ c Price 69’ c Welsch 79’ m Con: Miotti (2/3) 15', 37' Vincent (2/3) 53’, 70' Cards: Akrab  55'	Report	Try: Tierney-Martin 18' m Naughton 45' c Aungier 76' c Con: Gilbert (2/3) 45', 76' Pen: Gilbert (1/1) 3' Cards: Tierney-Martin  5' Hurley-Langton  6' Bolton  27'

GGL Stadium, Montpellier Attendance: 5,340 Referee: Christophe Ridley (England)

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11 April 2026 20:00

Zebre Parma (5)	32–35	(13) Dragons
Try: Trulla 25' c Bertaccini 37' c Krumov 78' m Quattrini 81' c Con: Da Re (3/4) 26', 38', 82' Pen: Da Re (2/1) 13', 63'	Report	Try: Inisi 14' c Keddie (2) 30' c, 51' c Dee 65' m Con: O'Brien (3/4) 15', 31', 52' Pen: O'Brie (3/3) 10', 44', 77' Cards: Richards  23' Inisi  32'

Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma Attendance: 2,524 Referee: Luke Pearce (England)

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12 April 2026 13:30

Benetton (2)	41–44	(7) Exeter Chiefs
Try: Cannone 5' c Umaga (2) 20' c, 65' c Ratave 37'c Bernasconi 45' c Con: Umaga (5/5) 6', 21', 38', 46', 66' Pen: Umaga (2/2) 42', 63' Cards: Ratave  15'	Report	Try: Woodburn 8' c Feyi-Waboso 24' c Skinner 42' c Zambonin 48' c Con: Slade (4/4) 9', 25', 43', 49' Pen: Slade (3/3) 28', 70', 79'

Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Treviso Attendance: 5,687 Referee: Luc Ramos (France)

Semi-finals

2 May 2026 17:30

Ulster (3)	29–12	(7) Exeter Chiefs
Try: Augustus 28' c Murphy 47' c McCann 58' m Stewart 66' c Con: Doak (3/4) 28', 48', 67' Pen: Doak 41' Cards: Stockdale  30'		Con: Vintcent 32' c Ridl 82' m Pen: Slade 32' Cards: Hammersley  74'

Affidea Stadium, Belfast Attendance: 11,126 Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)

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3 May 2026 12:30

Montpellier (1)	v	(13) Dragons

GGL Stadium, Montpellier Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)

Final

22 May 2026

	v	(3) Ulster

San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao