The 2025-26 EPCR Challenge Cup Final takes place on Friday 22 May 2026 at the San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao, Spain. As the showpiece of European club rugby’s second-tier knockout competition, the final brings together two sides who have battled through pool stages, a round of 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals to earn the right to lift the trophy in one of Spain’s most impressive sporting venues.
What is the EPCR Challenge Cup Final?
The EPCR Challenge Cup is European rugby union’s second major club competition, sitting alongside the Investec Champions Cup in the continental calendar. Organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR), the tournament features 18 clubs from the BKT United Rugby Championship, the French Top 14, and the Gallagher Premiership, plus two invitational sides. Teams are drawn into three pools of six for the group stage, after which the top four from each pool, along with five teams dropping down from the Champions Cup, enter a single-leg knockout phase. The final is a standalone fixture and the culmination of EPCR Finals Weekend in Bilbao, which also hosts the Champions Cup Final on the Saturday.
When is the EPCR Challenge Cup Final?
The EPCR Challenge Cup Final takes place on Friday 22 May 2026. Kick-off is scheduled for 21:00 local time (20:00 BST). The match forms the first half of EPCR Finals Weekend, with the Investec Champions Cup Final following on Saturday 23 May.
Where is the EPCR Challenge Cup Final?
The 2026 final is hosted at the San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain. Opened in September 2013, the ground is the home of Athletic Bilbao and has a capacity of 53,331, making it the largest stadium in the Basque Country and the seventh-largest in Spain. San Mamés previously hosted the EPCR finals in 2018, when a record crowd of 52,282 watched Leinster defeat Racing 92 in the Champions Cup Final. The stadium is renowned for its striking exterior facade of translucent panels and its atmospheric match-day environment.
Key Contenders
The 2025-26 knockout stage has featured strong campaigns from several clubs. Benetton Rugby reached the semi-finals for a second consecutive year after a 38-35 quarter-final victory over Exeter Chiefs, while Connacht impressed with a commanding 29-12 win over the Sharks in the round of 16. Montpellier, the 2020-21 champions, and La Rochelle, a club with recent Champions Cup pedigree, also progressed deep into the bracket. The defending champions, Bath, qualified for the Champions Cup through their Premiership finish and did not enter the Challenge Cup this season. Semi-final results will determine the two finalists in early May.
How to Watch
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, Premier Sports holds the lead broadcast rights for the EPCR Challenge Cup, including full coverage of the final. S4C provides Welsh-language coverage of selected matches. In France, beIN Sports and France Télévisions share coverage under a four-year deal running to 2026-27. In the United States, FloRugby streams every match live through the FloSports app. SuperSport covers the competition across South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. Fans in other territories, including Australia and New Zealand, can access live coverage through EPCR TV, which offers weekend and season passes.
History and Records
The competition was founded in 1996 as the European Conference and has undergone several name changes, including the European Shield and the European Challenge Cup, before adopting its current title under EPCR governance from 2014-15 onwards. Clermont and Harlequins share the record for the most titles, with three apiece. Recent finals have showcased the competition’s growing international profile: the Sharks became the first South African and non-European side to lift a major European club trophy when they won in 2023-24, while Bath claimed the title in 2024-25. French clubs have been the dominant force in recent editions, with Toulon (2022-23), Lyon (2021-22), Montpellier (2020-21), and Clermont (2018-19) all winning the trophy in a six-year span.
Tickets and Attendance
Single-day tickets for the EPCR Challenge Cup Final start from just 35 euros, with combined weekend packages (covering both the Challenge Cup and Champions Cup finals) available from 120 euros. Early bird weekend packages were priced at 135 euros (Category 2) and 165 euros (Category 1). With over 60 per cent of tickets already sold across the finals weekend, fans are advised to purchase through the official EPCR website promptly. Hospitality options are also available through the Destination Champions Club portal.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the EPCR Challenge Cup Final start?
The final kicks off at 21:00 local time (20:00 BST) on Friday 22 May 2026.
Where is the EPCR Challenge Cup Final being held?
San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao, Spain, with a capacity of 53,331.
How can I watch the EPCR Challenge Cup Final?
Premier Sports broadcasts in the UK and Ireland, beIN Sports and France Télévisions in France, FloRugby in the US, and SuperSport in South Africa. EPCR TV covers other territories.
Who won the EPCR Challenge Cup last year?
Bath won the 2024-25 EPCR Challenge Cup Final.