The full Vodacom URC fixture list for the 2025/26 season has been officially released, marking the earliest-ever publication of league fixtures in competition history.
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Round 1 will kick off in Cape Town, where the 2022 Vodacom URC champions, DHL Stormers, will take on the eight-time league winners, Leinster, at DHL Stadium on Friday, September 26. Games will take place across the weekend in all five competing territories, with highlights including Glasgow Warriors hosting Hollywoodbets Sharks, Scarlets facing Munster, Connacht taking on Benetton and Ospreys visiting the Vodacom Bulls.
The 2025/26 season promises a packed calendar of action, including festive derby rounds which are once again locked in for Rounds 7, 8 and 9, while the Race to the Eight steps up from Round 13 as teams compete for Play-Off places and Investec Champions Cup qualification.
In addition, a range of themed rounds, such as Kids Round, Origin Round, and Unity Round, will be confirmed in the coming weeks, enhancing the match-day experience for fans and clubs alike.
The format of the competition remains unchanged, with the top eight teams progressing to the Play-Offs beginning May 29. The Semi-Finals will be played on June 6, followed by the Grand Final on June 20 to crown the 2025/26 champions.
Martin Anayi, United Rugby Championship CEO, said: “Advance planning is critical to the success of the United Rugby Championship and it is fantastic that we have continued to raise the bar in publishing our fixtures as early as possible.
“For clubs and fans, planning their weekends and knowing where their teams are playing so far ahead of time makes a big difference. The drama and excitement of the Vodacom URC is matched by the complexity of putting all of the pieces of the fixture list together but it is made much easier thanks to the support of our teams and broadcasters to assist us in this process.
“For the moment, we look forward to the Play-Offs that kick off next week after another regular season full of surprises. The Race to the Eight provided huge jeopardy and now we move into the ultimate win or go home stage of the competition which will lift the intensity up to another level.”