The pool draws for the 2025/26 EPCR Challenge Cup will be staged at the Premier Sports studios in Dublin on Tuesday 1 July.
The draw will be streamed live on epcrugby.com and the event, which will be co-presented by Elma Smit and Vincent Pochulu, will start at 13.30 (UK-Irish time) / 14.30 (European/South African time) / 16.30 (Georgian time).
The 2025/26 EPCR Challenge Cup will once again have 18 clubs – eight from the URC, six from the TOP 14, two from the Gallagher Premiership and two invited clubs, Black Lion from Georgia and the Toyota Cheetahs from South Africa – competing in three pools of six, Pool 1, Pool 2 and Pool 3.
The following are the key principles integral to the EPCR Challenge Cup draw:
Each pool of six will contain two TOP 14 clubs.
As the draw will include three Welsh clubs – Cardiff Rugby, Ospreys and Dragons RFC – each pool will have one Welsh representative.
The Italian clubs Benetton Rugby and Zebre Parma, who are from the same URC Shield, cannot be in the same pool.
Connacht Rugby and Ulster Rugby, who are from the same URC Shield, cannot be in the same pool.
Exeter Chiefs and the Newcastle Falcons, the two Gallagher Premiership qualifiers, cannot be in the same pool.
The Lions from South Africa, as well as the two invited clubs, Black Lion and the Toyota Cheetahs, cannot be in the same pool.
A maximum of three URC clubs can be included in the same pool.
Clubs will play four different opponents home or away during the pool stage and a limited number of same-league fixtures will be unavoidable.
To start the process, all 18 club balls will be placed in the drum, and any three balls will be drawn separately with the first club out of the drum going into Pool 1, the second club out of the drum going into Pool 2 and the third club out of the drum going into Pool 3.
The draw will then continue on an ‘open’ basis with the next club out of the drum going into Pool 1, the following club out of the drum going into Pool 2, and so on in ascending numerical order until all club balls are drawn or allocated provided that the key principles are adhered to.
If a club cannot be drawn into a pool in accordance with the key principles, then the club will be allocated to the next available pool. The process will then re-start at the pool into which the initial club could not be drawn.
The 2025/26 fixture schedules for both tournaments with dates, venues, kick-off times and TV coverage will be announced as soon as possible. Fixtures will be determined using an algorithm which will take into consideration league calendar restrictions, individual club calendar restrictions, broadcast requirements and the pool draws.
2025/26 weekends
Round 1 – 5/6/7 December 2025
Round 2 – 12/13/14 December 2025
Round 3 – 9/10/11 January 2026
Round 4 – 16/17/18 January 2026
Round of 16 – 3/4/5 April 2026
Quarter-finals – 10/11/12 April 2026
Semi-finals – 1/2/3 May 2026
EPCR Challenge Cup Final – San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao; Friday 22 May
