Bordeaux-Bègles, the defending back-to-back champions, will kick off the 2026-27 Investec Champions Cup against Gloucester at Kingsholm on Friday 16 October. The competition will once again adopt the pool format, but there are two significant rule changes.
In a change to previous seasons, in which the four highest-ranked clubs in each pool all advanced to the Round of 16, only the top three from each pool will automatically qualify.
The remaining four Round of 16 places will go to the four clubs with the highest number of match points across all pools, regardless of which pool they are in.
The four places in the EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16 will be awarded to the next four clubs with the highest number of match points, also regardless of which pool they are in.
EPCR is also altering the system by which offensive bonus points are accrued, awarding a bonus point if a team scores three or more tries more than their opposition. The idea behind this change is to reward teams who continue to play attacking rugby and who stay resolute in defence once victory appears certain, ensuring matches stay competitive for longer.
The 2027 finals weekend will be hosted by the French city of Lyon. Bordeaux-Bègles retained the Champions Cup last season after defeating Leinster 41-19 in the final in Bilbao.
Below you will find all the 2026-27 Champions Cup fixtures, which is being televised by Premier Sports. For details of other tournaments such as the Rugby Championship and Premiership Rugby, check out our comprehensive guide to rugby fixtures around the world.
Investec Champions Cup on TV
Premier Sports has secured the rights to both the Champions Cup and the EPCR Challenge Cup in the UK and Ireland. The broadcaster has secured a three-year contract that runs to the end of the 2026-27 season, and their coverage will include all 63 Champions Cup games.
The service is available in the UK through the Sky, Virgin and Amazon platforms, and to stream on desktop and the Premier Sports app. A standard Premier Sports subscription costs £18.99 per month, though you can save money if you pay annually – it costs £13.99 per month if you sign up for a minimum 12-month term, and £130 if you pay for a whole year upfront.
Subscription services beIN Sports (France) and SuperSport (South Africa) also broadcast Investec Champions Cup fixtures, while FloRugby (United States) is showing most of the matches.
There are also some free options. Welsh language service S4C usually airs matches featuring any Welsh sides in European rugby’s premier club competition, while France Télévisions generally shows a couple of games over each match weekend. In 2026, UK viewers were able to enjoy the final for free on ITV and ITVX.
Fans in other countries will be able to watch the Champions Cup (with English commentary) on EPCR TV. A season pass costs €49.99 or you can buy a weekend pass for €14.99.
Investec Champions Cup 2026-27 Fixtures
Pool stages
Round 1
- Fri 16 Oct Gloucester v Bordeaux-Bègles (8pm)
- Sat 17 Oct Sale Sharks v Glasgow Warriors (1pm)
- Sat 17 Oct Vodacom Bulls v Stade Français (1pm)
- Sat 17 Oct Clermont Auvergne v Leinster (3.15pm)
- Sat 17 Oct DHL Stormers v Bristol Bears (3.15pm)
- Sat 17 Oct Connacht v Saracens (5.30pm)
- Sat 17 Oct La Rochelle v Lions (5.30pm)
- Sat 17 Oct Bath v Montpellier (8pm)
- Sat 17 Oct Munster v Racing 92 (8pm)
- Sun 18 Oct Pau v Leicester Tigers (1pm)
- Sun 18 Oct Toulouse v Exeter Chiefs (3.15pm)
- Sun 18 Oct Northampton v Cardiff (5.30pm)
Round 2
- Fri 11 Dec Stade Français v Northampton (8pm)
- Fri 11 Dec Glasgow Warriors v Pau (8pm)
- Sat 12 Dec Lions v Toulouse (1pm)
- Sat 12 Dec Leicester v Clermont Auvergne (3.15pm)
- Sat 12 Dec Montpellier v Vodacom Bulls (3.15pm)
- Sat 12 Dec Leinster v Sale Sharks (5.30pm)
- Sat 12 Dec Saracens v La Rochelle (5.30pm)
- Sat 12 Dec Bristol Bears v Munster (8pm)
- Sat 12 Dec Cardiff v Bath (8pm)
- Sun 13 Dec Exeter Chiefs v Connacht (1pm)
- Sun 13 Dec Bordeaux-Bègles v DHL Stormers (3.15pm)
- Sun 13 Dec Racing 92 v Gloucester (5.30pm)
Round 3
- Fri 8 Jan Glasgow Warriors v Leicester (8pm)
- Sat 9 Jan Gloucester v DHL Stormers (1pm)
- Sat 9 Jan Exeter Chiefs v La Rochelle (3.15pm)
- Sat 9 Jan Vodacom Bulls v Bath (3.15pm)
- Sat 9 Jan Leinster v Pau (5.30pm)
- Sat 9 Jan Montpellier v Northampton (5.30pm)
- Sat 9 Jan Connacht v Toulouse (8pm)
- Sat 9 Jan Stade Français v Cardiff (8pm)
- Sun 10 Jan Racing 92 v Bristol Bears (1pm)
- Sun 10 Jan Bordeaux-Bègles v Munster (3.15pm)
- Sun 10 Jan Saracens v Lions (3.15pm)
- Sun 10 Jan Sale Sharks v Clermont Auvergne (5.30pm)
Round 4
- Fri 15 Jan Northampton v Vodacom Bulls (8pm)
- Fri 15 Jan Cardiff v Montpellier (8pm)
- Sat 16 Jan Lions v Exeter Chiefs (1pm)
- Sat 16 Jan Pau v Sale Sharks (1pm)
- Sat 16 Jan Bristol Bears v Bordeaux-Bègles (3.15pm)
- Sat 16 Jan DHL Stormers v Racing 92 (3.15pm)
- Sat 16 Jan La Rochelle v Connacht (5.30pm)
- Sat 16 Jan Munster v Gloucester (5.30pm)
- Sat 16 Jan Clermont Auvergne v Glasgow (8pm)
- Sat 16 Jan Leicester Tigers v Leinster (8pm)
- Sun 17 Jan Toulouse v Saracens (3.15pm)
- Sun 17 Jan Bath v Stade Français (5.30pm)
Round of 16
- Friday 2-Sunday 4 April 2027
Quarter-finals
- Friday 9-Sunday 11 April 2027
Semi-finals
- Friday 1-Sunday 3 May 2027
The Final
- Saturday 23 May 2027 (Groupama Stadium, Lyon)
Investec Champions Cup 2025-26 Results
Bordeaux-Bègles retained the 2025-26 Investec Champions Cup after defeating Leinster 41-19 in the final at the San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao.
The match was as good as won by half-time as the holders responded to Tommy O’Brien’s early try with five of their own; Maxime Lucu, Paolo Uberti, Louis Bielle-Biarrey (two) and Yoram Moefana all touched down to open up a 35-7 lead by the interval.
Leinster rallied, scores by Joe McCarthy and Garry Ringrose the least they deserved for their quality and defiance, but the outcome was never in doubt. It was Leinster’s fifth final defeat since the most recent of their four European crowns in 2018.
Pool stages
Round 1
- Fri 5 Dec Sale Sharks 21-26 Glasgow Warriors
- Fri 5 Dec Bayonne 17-26 Stormers
- Sat 6 Dec Saracens 47-10 Clermont Auvergne
- Sat 6 Dec Bulls 33-46 Bordeaux-Bègles
- Sat 6 Dec La Rochelle 39-20 Leicester Tigers
- Sat 6 Dec Leinster 45-28 Harlequins
- Sat 6 Dec Scarlets 16-17 Bristol Bears
- Sat 6 Dec Bath 40-14 Munster
- Sun 7 Dec Pau 27-35 Northampton Saints
- Sun 7 Dec Toulouse 56-19 Sharks
- Sun 7 Dec Gloucester 34-14 Castres
- Sun 7 Dec Edinburgh 33-20 Toulon
Round 2
- Fri 12 Dec Leicester Tigers 15-23 Leinster
- Sat 13 Dec Stormers 42-21 La Rochelle
- Sat 13 Dec Sharks 28-23 Saracens
- Sat 13 Dec Clermont Auvergne 14-35 Sale Sharks
- Sat 13 Dec Bordeaux-Bègles 50-21 Scarlets
- Sat 13 Dec Munster 31-3 Gloucester
- Sat 13 Dec Glasgow Warriors 28-21 Toulouse
- Sun 14 Dec Harlequins 68-14 Bayonne
- Sun 14 Dec Castres 33-0 Edinburgh
- Sun 14 Dec Toulon 45-34 Bath
- Sun 14 Dec Northampton Saints 50-5 Bulls
- Sun 14 Dec Bristol Bears 61-12 Pau
Round 3
- Fri 9 Jan Castres 20-43 Bath
- Fri 9 Jan Edinburgh 26-24 Gloucester
- Sat 10 Jan Bulls 49-61 Bristol Bears
- Sat 10 Jan Clermont Auvergne 21-33 Glasgow
- Sat 10 Jan Leinster 25-24 La Rochelle
- Sat 10 Jan Sale Sharks 26-10 Sharks
- Sat 10 Jan Scarlets 38-47 Pau
- Sat 10 Jan Leicester Tigers 57-14 Bayonne
- Sun 11 Jan Harlequins 61-10 Stormers
- Sun 11 Jan Toulon 27-25 Munster
- Sun 11 Jan Bordeaux-Bègles 50-28 Northampton
- Sun 11 Jan Saracens 20-14 Toulouse
Round 4
- Fri 16 Jan Pau 24-26 Bulls
- Fri 16 Jan Bath 63-10 Edinburgh
- Sat 17 Jan Sharks 50-12 Clermont Auvergne
- Sat 17 Jan Bayonne 13-22 Leinster
- Sat 17 Jan Stormers 39-26 Leicester Tigers
- Sat 17 Jan Toulouse 77-7 Sale Sharks
- Sat 17 Jan Munster 29-31 Castres
- Sat 17 Jan Gloucester 14-31 Toulon
- Sun 18 Jan Bristol Bears 15-27 Bordeaux-Bègles
- Sun 18 Jan Northampton Saints 43-28 Scarlets
- Sun 18 Jan La Rochelle 17-27 Harlequins
- Sun 18 Jan Glasgow Warriors 28-3 Saracens
Round of 16
- Fri 3 Apr Northampton 49-41 Castres
- Sat 4 Apr Bath 31-22 Saracens
- Sat 4 Apr Toulon 28-27 Stormers
- Sat 4 Apr Glasgow Warriors 25-21 Bulls
- Sat 4 Apr Toulouse 59-26 Bristol Bears
- Sat 4 Apr Harlequins 17-26 v Sale Sharks
- Sun 5 Apr Bordeaux-Bègles 64-14 Leicester
- Sun 5 Apr Leinster 49-31 Edinburgh
Quarter-finals
- Fri 10 Apr Bath 43-41 Northampton Saints
- Sat 11 Apr Glasgow Warriors 19-22 Toulon
- Sat 11 Apr Leinster 43-13 Sale Sharks
- Sun 12 Apr Bordeaux-Bègles 30-15 Toulouse
Semi-finals
- Sat 2 May Leinster 29-25 Toulon
- Sun 3 May Bordeaux-Bègles 38-26 Bath
The Final
- Sat 23 May Bordeaux-Bègles 41-19 Leinster (San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao)
Investec Champions Cup results 2024-25
Bordeaux-Bègles defeated Northampton 28-20 in the 2025 Investec Champions Cup final to become continental champions for the first time.
In a ding-dong battle punctuated by several refereeing errors, the French giants wore down a valiant Saints side that had to withstand the loss of two back-three players, James Ramm and George Furbank, in the opening five minutes.
Flanker Alex Coles scored a brace of tries for the Midlanders, with Fin Smith kicking ten points. In reply, wing Damian Penaud (two), and locks Adam Coleman and Cyril Caseaux, crossed for Bordeaux-Bègles, with Mathieu Jalibert and Maxime Lucu kicking the extras.
Bordeaux-Bègles prop Jefferson Poirot was banned for two weeks after grabbing Northampton’s Henry Pollock by the throat shortly after the final whistle in Cardiff.
Pool stages
Round 1
Friday 6 December
- Bath 20-24 La Rochelle
Saturday 7 December
- Clermont Auvergne 28-0 Benetton
- Sharks 39-21 Exeter Chiefs
- Northampton 38-8 Castres
- Stormers 14-24 Toulon
- Munster 33-7 Stade Français
- Saracens 27-5 Bulls
- Glasgow Warriors 38-19 Sale Sharks
- Racing 23-12 Harlequins
Sunday 8 December
- Bordeaux-Bègles 42-28 Leicester
- Toulouse 61-21 Ulster
- Bristol Bears 12-35 Leinster
Round 2
Friday 13 December
- Sale Sharks 29-7 Racing
- Castres 16-14 Munster
Saturday 14 December
- Bulls 21-30 Northampton Saints
- Ulster 19-40 Bordeaux-Bègles
- Leinster 15-7 Clermont Auvergne
- Leicester Tigers 56-17 Sharks
- La Rochelle 35-7 Bristol Bears
- Harlequins 53-16 Stormers
Sunday 15 December
- Benetton 22-21 Bath
- Stade Français 17-28 Saracens
- Toulon 30-29 Glasgow Warriors
- Exeter Chiefs 21-64 Toulouse
Round 3
Friday 10 January
- Glasgow Warriors 29-19 Racing
Saturday 11 January
- Stormers 40-0 Sale Sharks
- Exeter Chiefs 17-69 Bordeaux-Bègles
- Sharks 8-20 Toulouse
- Munster 17-12 Saracens
- Stade Français 45-35 Northampton
- Leicester Tigers 38-10 Ulster
- Castres 49-10 Bulls
Sunday 12 January
- Toulon 33-21 Harlequins
- La Rochelle 14-16 Leinster
- Bristol Bears 35-29 Benetton
- Bath 40-21 Clermont Auvergne
Round 4
Friday 17 January
- Ulster 52-24 Exeter Chiefs
Saturday 18 January
- Bulls 48-7 Stade Français
- Northampton Saints 34-32 Munster
- Clermont Auvergne 33-26 Bristol
- Benetton 32-25 La Rochelle
- Leinster 47-21 Bath
- Harlequins 24-7 Glasgow Warriors
- Racing 31-22 Stormers
Sunday 19 January
- Bordeaux-Bègles 66-12 Sharks
- Saracens 24-32 Castres
- Toulouse 80-12 Leicester Tigers
- Sale Sharks 33-7 Toulon
Round of 16
Friday 4 April
- Northampton 46-24 Clermont Auvergne
Saturday 5 April
- Toulon 72-42 Saracens
- Leinster 62-0 Harlequins
- Castres 39-37 Benetton
- La Rochelle 24-25 Munster
- Glasgow Warriors 43-19 Leicester
Sunday 6 April
- Bordeaux-Bègles 43-31 Ulster
- Toulouse 38-15 Sale Sharks
Quarter-finals
Friday 11 April
- Leinster 52-0 Glasgow Warriors
Saturday 12 April
- Bordeaux-Bègles 47-29 Munster
- Northampton Saints 51-16 Castres
Sunday 13 April
- Toulon 18-21 Toulouse
Semi-finals
Saturday 3 May
- Leinster 34-37 Northampton
Sunday 4 May
- Bordeaux-Bègles 35-18 Toulouse
The final
Saturday 24 May
- Bordeaux-Bègles 28-20 Northampton (Principality Stadium)
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