European Rugby Challenge Cup

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Poster

Established
1996 (29 years old)

First Recorded Event
2021-12-10

Current Season
2025-2026

Current Round
200

Sport
Sport Icon

Rugby

Location
Europe

Gender
Male

TV Rights
Austria - More Than Sports
Australia - beIN Sports
Canada - Flo Rugby
Denmark - Viaplay
Estonia - Viaplay
Finland - Viaplay
France - beIN Sports
France - France TV
Germany - More Than Sports
Iceland - Viaplay
Ireland - TNT Sports
Ireland - Premier Sports
LATAM - ESPN
Latvia - Viaplay
Lithuania - Viaplay
Malta - GO
Netherlands - Viaplay
New Zealand - Sky Sport
Norway - Viaplay
Poland - Polsat
Portugal - Sport TV
Romania - DIGI
SEA - Premier Sport
Spain - Telefonica
SSA - Super Sport
Sweden - Viaplay
Switzerland - More Than Sports
United Kingdom - TNT Sports
United Kingdom - S4C
United Kingdom - Viaplay
USA - Flo Rugby
Rest of World - epcrugby.tv

Logo

Upcoming
05 Dec	Ulster	8:00pm	Racing M�
06 Dec	Lions	1:00pm	Benetton
06 Dec	Stade Fra	1:00pm	Cardiff R
06 Dec	Black Lio	3:15pm	Montpelli
06 Dec	Zebre	8:00pm	US Montau
06 Dec	Lyon OU	5:30pm	Newcastle
07 Dec	USA Perpi	1:00pm	Dragons
07 Dec	Ospreys	3:15pm	Connacht
07 Dec	Exeter Ch	5:30pm	Cheetahs
12 Dec	Montpelli	8:00pm	Zebre
Results
23 May	Bath Rugb	37 - 12	Lyon OU
04 May	Lyon OU	29 - 15	Racing M�
03 May	Edinburgh	24 - 39	Bath Rugb
13 Apr	Bath Rugb	61 - 26	Glouceste
12 Apr	Ospreys	18 - 20	Lyon OU
12 Apr	Connacht	40 - 43	Racing M�
12 Apr	Edinburgh	34 - 28	Bulls Sup
06 Apr	Ospreys	36 - 14	Scarlets
06 Apr	Lyon OU	34 - 21	The Shark
05 Apr	USA Perpi	18 - 24	Racing M�

Description

The EPCR Challenge Cup is an annual rugby union competition organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). It is the second-tier competition for clubs based in European leagues behind the European Rugby Champions Cup. From its inception in 1996 to 2014, it was known as the European Challenge Cup and governed by European Rugby Cup (ERC). Following disagreements in the structure of the tournament's format and division of revenue, the English and French leagues withdrew to form the EPCR, which organized the Challenge Cup and the Champions Cup since the 2014–15 season.

The Challenge Cup is currently contested between 18 teams; 16 of which qualify from the three main European domestic leagues (Premiership Rugby, Top 14, and United Rugby Championship). In 2023–23, the Cheetahs, a South African team who do not play in either of the three leagues, but has close historical connections to the URC, also take part in the Challenge Cup as an invited team. For the 2023-24 season, Georgia's Black Lion were also invited to take part in the tournament.

Toulon are the current Challenge Cup holders, having won the 2022–23 EPCR Challenge Cup.

Seasons

Teams

ASM Clermont Auve	Aviron Bayonnais	Benetton	Black Lion
Castres Olympique	Cheetahs	Connacht	Dragons
Edinburgh	Gloucester	Lions	Montpellier Héra
Newcastle Red Bul	Ospreys	Sale Sharks	Scarlets
Section Paloise	The Sharks	Ulster	USA Perpignan
Zebre