EPCR confirmed that Black Lion and the Toyota Cheetahs will return to the EPCR Challenge Cup following approval from the EPCR Board.
Georgia’s Black Lion has been invited to participate for a further two seasons, while the South African Toyota Cheetahs return for the upcoming campaign, completing the 18-team competition line-up.
The two clubs will join eight teams from the United Rugby Championship, six from the TOP 14 and two from the Gallagher PREM in a competition that continues to grow in strength and international reach.
The invitations follow a competitive tender process that attracted interest from clubs across multiple countries, highlighting the increasing appeal and profile of the EPCR Challenge Cup.
Both clubs satisfied the required participation criteria, including establishing a European home base, demonstrating the ability to field a competitive squad and meeting EPCR’s minimum match standards.