Champions Cup
Investec Champions Cup Draw Set To Shape SA Challenge
The draw will determine whether South Africa’s four URC clubs face favourable routes or daunting assignments as they chase success in European club rugby’s two premier competitions.
South Africa’s three representatives in the Investec Champions Cup – the Bulls, Stormers and Lions – will discover their pool-stage opponents for the new season, while the Sharks will learn their route through the EPCR Challenge Cup.
Investec Champions Cup
The path to European rugby’s biggest prize will become clearer on 1 July when the pool draws for the 2026-27 Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup are staged in Dublin.
The draw, which will be streamed live on EPCR’s digital platforms, is the first major milestone on the road to Lyon, where the 2026-27 European club rugby season will conclude with the finals weekend in May 2027.
For South African supporters, the draw carries added significance because the Bulls, Stormers and Lions cannot be placed in the same pool. The competition regulations require clubs from the same United Rugby Championship Shield to be separated, ensuring all three South African franchises are spread across different pools.
The Investec Champions Cup will once again feature 24 clubs from the United Rugby Championship, France’s Top 14 and England’s Gallagher Premiership competing across four pools of six teams.
Defending champions Union Bordeaux-Bègles will be one of four top seeds, alongside the champions of the URC, Gallagher Premiership and Top 14.
The Sharks, meanwhile, will compete in the EPCR Challenge Cup, which features clubs from the URC, Top 14, Gallagher Premiership and two invited teams yet to be announced.
The 2026-27 European season kicks off in October, with a single round, and culminates at Lyon’s OL Stadium, where the EPCR Challenge Cup Final will be played on 21 May 2027 and the Investec Champions Cup Final on 22 May 2027.
The Stormers and Bulls lost in the last 16 of the 2025/26 Investec Champions Cup. The Sharks did not qualify for the play-offs and the Lions played in the EPCR Challenge Cup.
Bordeaux beat Leinster 41-19 in the 2025/26 Investec Champions Cup final.
Investec Champions Cup 2026/27 Draw
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Competition | 2026-27 Investec Champions Cup |
| Draw Date | Wednesday, 1 July 2026 |
| Time (South Africa) | 13:30 |
| Venue | Premier Sports Studios, Dublin |
| Presenters | Elma Smit and Benjamin Boyet |
| Teams | 24 |
| Pools | 4 pools of 6 teams |
Investec Champions Cup 2026/26 Draw Principles
| Principle | Explanation |
| League Representation | Each pool will contain two clubs from each league |
| South African Teams | Vodacom Bulls, DHL Stormers and Lions cannot be in the same pool |
| Irish Teams | Leinster, Munster and Connacht must all be separated |
| Same-League Fixtures | Not permitted during the pool stage |
| Pool Fixtures | Each club plays four matches against clubs from different leagues |
| Tier 1 Clubs | Union Bordeaux-Bègles and the champions of the URC, Top 14 and Gallagher Premiership |
Investec Champions Cup 2026/27 Qualifiers
United Rugby Championship
| Club |
| Leinster Rugby |
| Vodacom Bulls |
| Glasgow Warriors |
| DHL Stormers |
| Munster Rugby |
| Cardiff Rugby |
| Lions |
| Connacht Rugby |
Top 14
| Club |
| Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
| Stade Toulousain |
| Montpellier Hérault Rugby |
| Stade Français Paris |
| Racing 92 |
| Section Paloise |
| Stade Rochelais |
| ASM Clermont Auvergne |
Gallagher Premiership
| Club |
| Northampton Saints |
| Exeter Chiefs |
| Bath Rugby |
| Leicester Tigers |
| Saracens |
| Bristol Bears |
| Sale Sharks |
| Gloucester Rugby |
EPCR Challenge Cup 2026/27 Draw
| Detail | Information |
| Competition | 2026-27 EPCR Challenge Cup |
| Teams | 18 |
| Pools | 3 pools of 6 teams |
| South African Representative | Hollywoodbets Sharks |
| Invited Teams | Two clubs to be announced |
EPCR Challenge Cup 2026/27 Draw Principles
| Principle | Explanation |
| French Clubs | Two Top 14 clubs per pool |
| Welsh Clubs | One Welsh club per pool |
| Shield Restriction | Edinburgh, Benetton and Zebre cannot share a pool |
| Premiership Restriction | Harlequins and Newcastle cannot share a pool |
| Sharks Restriction | Hollywoodbets Sharks cannot be in the same pool as either invited club |
| URC Limit | Maximum three URC clubs per pool |
EPCR Challenge Cup 2026/27 Qualifiers
United Rugby Championship
| Club |
| Ulster Rugby |
| Hollywoodbets Sharks |
| Ospreys |
| Edinburgh Rugby |
| Benetton Rugby |
| Scarlets |
| Dragons RFC |
| Zebre Parma |
Top 14
| Club |
| RC Toulon |
| Castres Olympique |
| Lyon Olympique Universitaire |
| Aviron Bayonnais |
| USAP |
| RC Vannes |
Gallagher Premiership
| Club |
| Harlequins |
| Newcastle Red Bulls |
Invited Clubs
| Status |
| To be announced |
| To be announced |
Investec Champions Cup 2026/27 & EPCR Challenge Cup 2026/27 Match Weekends
| Round | Dates |
| Round 1 | 16-18 October 2026 |
| Round 2 | 11-13 December 2026 |
| Round 3 | 8-10 January 2027 |
| Round 4 | 15-17 January 2027 |
| Round of 16 | 2-4 April 2027 |
| Quarter-finals | 9-11 April 2027 |
| Semi-finals | 30 April-2 May 2027 |
Lyon Finals Weekend 2027
| Match | Date |
| EPCR Challenge Cup Final | Friday, 21 May 2027 |
| Investec Champions Cup Final | Saturday, 22 May 2027 |
| Venue | OL Stadium, Lyon |
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