Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective

2025–26 EPCR Challenge Cup pool stage

European Rugby Challenge Cup pool stage From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Remove ads

The 2025–26 EPCR Challenge Cup pool stage will be the first stage of the 12th season of the EPCR Challenge Cup.

Structure

Summarize
Perspective

The pool stage draw took place on 1 July 2025,[1] with the complete fixture list later announced on 15 July 2025.[2] The fixtures will be played out across four weekends between 5 December 2025 and 18 January 2026.

Teams in the same pool played four of the other five teams in their pool, either at home or away, in the pool stage. The top four teams in each pool progressed to the round of 16 as well as the fifth-ranked team from each Champions Cup pool.

Teams was awarded table points based on match performances; four points for a win, two points for a draw, one bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match and one bonus point for losing a match by seven points or fewer.[3]

In the event of a tie between two or more teams, the following tie-breakers were used, as directed by European Professional Club Rugby:

  1. Where teams have played each other
    1. The club with the greater number of competition points from only matches involving tied teams.
    2. If equal, the club with the best aggregate points difference from those matches.
    3. If equal, the club that scored the most tries in those matches.
  2. Where teams remain tied and/or have not played each other in the competition (i.e. are from different pools)
    1. The club with the best aggregate points difference from the pool stage.
    2. If equal, the club that scored the most tries in the pool stage.
    3. If equal, the club with the fewest players suspended in the pool stage.
    4. If equal, the drawing of lots will determine a club's ranking.
Remove ads

Pools

Pool 1

More information Pos, Pld ...
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.

Round 1

6 December 2025
19:15
Black Lion Georgia (country)vFrance Montpellier
Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi

6 December 2025
21:00
Zebre Parma ItalyvFrance Montauban
Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma

7 December 2025
15:15
Ospreys WalesvIreland Connacht
Dunraven Brewery Field, Bridgend

Round 2

12 December 2025
21:00
Montpellier FrancevItaly Zebre Parma
GGL Stadium, Montpellier

13 December 2025
16:15
Montauban FrancevWales Ospreys
Stade Sapiac, Montauban

13 December 2025
20:00
Connacht IrelandvGeorgia (country) Black Lion
Dexcom Stadium, Galway

Round 3

10 January 2026
14:00
Montauban FrancevGeorgia (country) Black Lion
Stade Sapiac, Montauban

11 January 2026
14:00
Montpellier FrancevIreland Connacht
GGL Stadium, Montpellier

11 January 2026
14:00
Zebre Parma ItalyvWales Ospreys
Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma

Round 4

17 January 2026
17:00
Black Lion Georgia (country)vItaly Zebre Parma
Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi

17 January 2026
20:00
Connacht IrelandvFrance Montauban
Dexcom Stadium, Galway

17 January 2026
20:00
Ospreys WalesvFrance Montpellier
Dunraven Brewery Field, Bridgend

Pool 2

More information Pos, Pld ...
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.

Round 1

6 December 2025
15:00
Lions South AfricavItaly Benetton
Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg

6 December 2025
18:30
Lyon FrancevEngland Newcastle Falcons
Mahmut Stadium, Lyon

7 December 2025
14:00
Perpignon FrancevWales Dragons
Stade Aime Giral, Perpignon

Round 2

13 December 2025
14:00
Benetton ItalyvFrance Perpignon
Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Benetton

13 December 2025
17:30
Newcastle Falcons EnglandvSouth Africa Lions
Kingston Park, Newcastle

14 December 2025
15:15
Dragons WalesvFrance Lyon
Rodney Parade, Newport

Round 3

10 January 2026
13:00
Newcastle Falcons EnglandvFrance Perpignan
Kingston Park, Newcastle

10 January 2026
17:15
Lions South AfricavFrance Lyon
Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg

10 January 2026
18:30
Benetton ItalyvWales Dragons
Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Benetton

Round 4

16 January 2026
20:00
Dragons WalesvEngland Newcastle Falcons
Rodney Parade, Newport

17 January 2026
18:30
Perpignan FrancevSouth Africa Lions
Stade Aime Giral, Perpignan

18 January 2026
14:00
Lyon FrancevItaly Benetton
Mahmut Stadium, Lyon

Pool 3

More information Pos, Pld ...
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.

Round 1

5 December 2025
20:00
Ulster IrelandvFrance Racing 92
Affidea Stadium, Belfast

6 December 2025
14:00
Stade Français FrancevWales Cardiff
Stade Jean Bouin, Paris

7 December 2025
17:30
Exeter Chiefs EnglandvSouth Africa Cheetahs
Sandy Park, Exeter

Round 2

13 December 2025
14:00
Cheetahs South AfricavFrance Stade Français
TBA

13 December 2025
20:00
Cardiff WalesvIreland Ulster
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff

14 December 2025
14:00
Racing 92 FrancevEngland Exeter Chiefs
TBA

Round 3

10 January 2026
14:00
Stade Français FrancevEngland Exeter Chiefs
Stade Jean Bouin, Paris

10 January 2026
15:15
Cardiff WalesvFrance Racing 92
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff

11 January 2026
16:15
Cheetahs South AfricavIreland Ulster
TBA

Round 4

17 January 2026
13:00
Ulster IrelandvFrance Stade Français
Affidea Stadium, Belfast

18 January 2026
13:00
Exeter Chiefs EnglandvWales Cardiff
Sandy Park, Exeter

18 January 2026
18:30
Racing 92 FrancevSouth Africa Cheetahs
La Défense Arena, Nanterre
Remove ads

Notes

    References

    Loading related searches...

    Wikiwand - on

    Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.

    Remove ads