EPCR Challenge Cup 2025-2026 Fixtures: 5 Must-Watch Matches In Pool Play
EPCR Challenge Cup 2025-2026 Fixtures: 5 Must-Watch Matches In Pool Play
Here are the five matches in the EPCR Challenge Cup that will be bangers this year.
The EPCR Challenge Cup may be Europe’s second-tier club competition, but this season, it offers first-class drama.
With three pools of six teams, the schedule is packed with intriguing clashes from December through January.
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Some fixtures carry extra weight – be it historic rivalries, star-studded lineups or high stakes in the race for knockout berths.
From opening weekend blockbusters to final-round deciders, fans are spoiled for choice.
Below is a look at five must-watch matchups in the 2025-26 pool stage.
Each of these games promises quality rugby and compelling storylines, making them highlights of the Challenge Cup calendar:
Ulster Rugby vs. Racing 92 – Opening Night Heavyweights
When: Dec. 5, 2025 (Round 1) at Affidea Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast.
Why it’s a great match: Ulster and Racing 92 are two of Europe’s more consistent Champions Cup participants, and whenever they meet, it delivers top-end rugby.
Ulster’s home nights at Affidea Ravenhill Stadium often produce intensity few venues can match, with a crowd that thrives on defensive grit and precision kicking.
Racing, by contrast, brings pace, skill and ambition honed in France’s Top 14.
The contrast of Ulster’s structure against Racing’s expansive rhythm makes this one of the standout fixtures of the opening round.
Racing’s attacking variety under the La Défense roof has been dazzling in past seasons, but handling the cold, physical test of Belfast will be another matter entirely.
If Ulster can dominate the breakdown and slow Racing’s tempo, Ulster can start Pool 3 with a statement win; if not, the French visitors have the firepower to silence any crowd.
Lyon OU vs. Newcastle Red Bulls – New Era Meets Proven Force
When: Dec. 6, 2025 (Round 1) at Matmut Stadium de Gerland, Lyon
Why it’s a great match: Few fixtures embody change and continuity quite like this one.
Lyon OU, an established Champions Cup regular and the 2022 Challenge Cup winner, faces a Newcastle side reborn as the Red Bulls after a major ownership shift.
The match marks Newcastle’s first European campaign under the new identity, bringing intrigue well beyond the scoreboard.
Lyon has developed into one of France’s most reliable European sides, built on set-piece dominance and confident home form at Matmut Stadium de Gerland. Lyon reached the final of this competition last year.
The Red Bulls, meanwhile, are looking to redefine themselves with renewed energy, ambition and a modernized playing style.
It’s a classic test of French power against English rebuilding.
For Lyon, a home win would underline its status as a pool contender; for Newcastle, even competing on even terms would be a meaningful signal that the new project is on the right track.
Racing 92 vs. Exeter Chiefs – 2020 Champions Cup Final Rematch
When: Dec. 14, 2025 (Round 2) at Paris La Défense Arena (Paris)
Why it’s a great match: Racing 92 and the Exeter Chiefs share recent Champions Cup history — most notably the 2020 final, when Exeter claimed its first European title in an instant classic.
Five years later, the clubs meet again in the Challenge Cup, and the fixture remains one of the competition’s most compelling.
Racing’s trademark speed and skill under the La Défense Arena roof contrast sharply with Exeter’s structured, forward-driven precision. It’s French flair versus English relentlessness, a stylistic matchup that consistently produces drama.
Both sides are in transitional phases but remain capable of deep runs in Europe.
Racing continues to field a blend of homegrown talent and international experience, while Exeter’s rebuild has introduced new energy alongside proven leaders.
With qualification from Pool 3 often decided by fine margins, this early-round meeting could carry major implications later in the campaign.
It’s a fixture that rarely disappoints — a blend of pace, power and European pedigree.
Ospreys vs. Montpellier Hérault – Pool 1 Decider in Wales
When: Jan. 17, 2026 (Round 4) at Dunraven Brewery Field, Wales
Why it’s a great match: Late-pool fixtures often carry knockout implications, and this one should be thick with jeopardy.
Montpellier brings heavy forward power and off-loading punch from a Top 14-hardened pack, while Ospreys typically leans on structure, tactical kicking and set-piece discipline.
That clash of styles can turn small moments—exit accuracy, maul defense, breakdown penalties—into match-winners.
Expect a territorial arm-wrestle punctuated by bursts of ambition: Montpellier will try to squeeze momentum with ball carries and close-range mauls; Ospreys will look to pin them back, pressure the ruck and take points when offered.
With pool positioning on the line, decision-making under pressure becomes the headline: kick to the corner or take three, chase a bonus point or lock down a lead.
It’s the kind of tight, testy European contest where one turnover, one 50/22 or one disciplined defensive set can decide everything—perfect viewing for anyone who loves the fine margins of cup rugby.
Ulster Rugby vs. Stade Français – Knockout Spot on the Line
When: Jan. 17, 2026 (Round 4) at Affidea Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast.
Why it’s a great match: Ulster and Stade Français Paris bring rich European histories and passionate followings, making this Pool 3 encounter one of the competition’s standout fixtures.
Affidea Ravenhill Stadiumis a fortress in winter, where intensity and precision often decide the outcome.
Ulster’s home support and structured, forward-led game long have been their trademarks in Europe.
Stade Français travels from Paris with the confidence of a team familiar with big stages.
The French club’s power up front and strike threats in open play offer a contrasting style to Ulster’s tactical control. That combination often produces dramatic, momentum-swinging matches.
Both sides understand what’s at stake in such a balanced pool — one win or bonus point can reshape the knockout picture.
Expect a contest defined by discipline and decision-making, with every scrum, kick and breakdown carrying weight.
When these two meet, it’s always a genuine test of European pedigree.
EPCR Challenge Cup 2025-2026 Fixtures And Kickoff Time
Here's the full schedule:
EPCR Challenge Cup Round 1 Fixtures
Fri, Dec. 5, 2025
- 2 p.m. ET: Ulster Rugby vs. Racing 92, Affidea Stadium
Sat, Dec. 6, 2025
- 7 a.m. ET: Lions vs. Benetton Rugby, Ellis Park
- 7 a.m. ET: Stade Français Paris vs. Cardiff Rugby, Stade Jean Bouin
- 9:15 a.m. ET: Black Lion vs. Montpellier Hérault Rugby, Mikheil Meskhi Stadium
- 11:30 a.m. ET: Lyon O.U. vs. Newcastle Red Bulls, Matmut Stadium de Gerland
- 2 p.m. ET: Zebre Parma vs. US Montauban, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
Sun, Dec. 7, 2025
- 7 a.m. ET: Perpignan vs. Dragons RFC, Stade Aimé Giral
- 9:15 a.m. ET: Ospreys vs. Connacht Rugby, Dunraven Brewery Field
- 11:30 a.m. ET: Exeter Chiefs vs. Toyota Cheetahs, Sandy Park
EPCR Challenge Cup Round 2 Fixtures
Fri, Dec. 12, 2025
- 2 p.m. ET: Montpellier Hérault Rugby vs. Zebre Parma, Septeo Stadium
Sat, Dec. 13, 2025
- 7 a.m. ET: Benetton Rugby vs. Perpignan, Stadio Monigo
- 7 a.m. ET: Toyota Cheetahs vs. Stade Français Paris, NRCA Stadium
- 9:15 a.m. ET: US Montauban vs. Ospreys, Stade Sapiac
- 11:30 a.m. ET: Newcastle Red Bulls vs. Lions, Kingston Park
- 2 p.m. ET: Cardiff Rugby vs. Ulster Rugby, Cardiff Arms Park
- 2 p.m. ET: Connacht Rugby vs. Black Lion, Dexcom Stadium
Sun, Dec. 14, 2025
- 7 a.m. ET: Racing 92 vs. Exeter Chiefs, TBD
- 9:15 a.m. ET: Dragons RFC vs. Lyon O.U., Rodney Parade
EPCR Challenge Cup Round 3 Fixtures
Sat, Jan. 10, 2026
- 7 a.m. ET: Stade Français Paris vs. Exeter Chiefs, Stade Jean Bouin
- 7 a.m. ET: US Montauban vs. Black Lion, Stade Sapiac
- 7 a.m. ET: Newcastle Red Bulls vs. Perpignan, Kingston Park
- 9:15 a.m. ET: Lions vs. Lyon O.U., Ellis Park
- 9:15 a.m. ET: Cardiff Rugby vs. Racing 92, Cardiff Arms Park
- 11:30 a.m. ET: Benetton Rugby vs. Dragons RFC, Stadio Monigo
Sun, Jan. 11, 2026
- 7 a.m. ET: Montpellier Hérault Rugby vs. Connacht Rugby, Septeo Stadium
- 7 a.m. ET: Zebre Parma vs. Ospreys, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
- 9:15 a.m. ET: Toyota Cheetahs vs. Ulster Rugby, NRCA Stadium
EPCR Challenge Cup Round 4 Fixtures
Fri, Jan. 16, 2026
- 2 p.m. ET: Dragons RFC vs. Newcastle Red Bulls, Rodney Parade
Sat, Jan. 17, 2026
- 7 a.m. ET: Ulster Rugby vs. Stade Français Paris, Affidea Stadium
- 7 a.m. ET: Black Lion vs. Zebre Parma, Mikheil Meskhi Stadium
- 11:30 a.m. ET: Perpignan vs. Lions, Stade Aimé Giral
- 2 p.m. ET: Connacht Rugby vs. US Montauban, Dexcom Stadium
- 2 p.m. ET: Ospreys vs. Montpellier Hérault Rugby, Dunraven Brewery Field
Sun, Jan. 18, 2026
- 7 a.m. ET: Exeter Chiefs vs. Cardiff Rugby, Sandy Park
- 7 a.m. ET: Lyon O.U. vs. Benetton Rugby, Matmut Stadium de Gerland
- 11:30 a.m. ET: Racing 92 vs. Toyota Cheetahs, Paris La Défense Arena
EPCR Challenge Cup Pools 2025–2026
Pool 1
- Ospreys
- Zebre Parma
- Montpellier Hérault Rugby
- US Montauban
- Black Lion
- Connacht Rugby
Pool 2
- Lyon Olympique Universitaire
- Newcastle Red Bulls
- Dragons RFC
- Benetton Rugby
- Lions
- USAP (Perpignan)
Pool 3
- Toyota Cheetahs
- Cardiff Rugby
- Exeter Chiefs
- Racing 92
- Stade Français Paris
- Ulster Rugby
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Rugby fans can stream every match from the Top 14, Gallagher Premiership and United Rugby Championship on FloRugby, along with the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup, making the platform the U.S. home for the world’s biggest club competitions and the game’s top players.
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- Top 14
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- EPCR Challenge Cup
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FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays.