The draw served up three fascinating EPCR Challenge Cup pools, with plenty of heavyweight clashes and intriguing storylines to look forward to.
The invited South African side, the Toyota Cheetahs, were the first club out of the drum, going in Pool 1 alongside 2026 runners-up Ulster Rugby, USAP, last season's semi-finalists Dragons RFC, Aviron Bayonnais and Zebre Parma.
Pool 2 is equally as stacked, with Benetton Rugby set to renew their rivalry with 2022 champions LOU Rugby after the sides also met in last season's pool stages. They are joined by Newcastle Red Bulls, 2024 winners Hollywoodbets Sharks, Castres Olympique and Scarlets, creating another fiercely competitive group.
Ospreys head up Pool 3 after being the first team drawn, alongside Edinburgh Rugby, Black Lion, three-time Challenge Cup winners Harlequins – the competition's joint most successful club – 2023 champions RC Toulon and RC Vannes, who return to the tournament again after debuting in the 2024/25 season. With European pedigree, returning contenders and emerging challengers all in the mix, Pool 3 looks set to deliver some of the competition's standout encounters.
With the Pools now set, fixture schedules for both tournaments, including dates, venues, kick-off times and TV coverage, will be announced later this month. Fixtures are determined following the input of individual club calendars and venue considerations, broadcast requirements and league calendar restrictions into an algorithm with the outcomes of today’s Pool Draws, all of which are considered to deliver the optimum fixture schedules.
The 2026/27 Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup seasons will again be played over eight weekends with four rounds of matches in the pool stage starting in October, followed by a knockout stage consisting of a Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, culminating in the EPCR Finals Weekend in the French city of Lyon on 21 and 22 May.
2026/27 EPCR CHALLENGE CUP
Pool 1: Toyota Cheetahs, Ulster Rugby, USAP, Dragons RFC, Aviron Bayonnais, Zebre Parma.
Pool 2: Benetton Rugby, LOU Rugby, Newcastle Red Bulls, Hollywoodbets Sharks, Castres Olympique, Scarlets.
Pool 3: Ospreys, Edinburgh Rugby, Black Lion, Harlequins, RC Toulon, RC Vannes.