Challenge Cup Fixtures Announced For Connacht And Ulster

Click here to view the 2025/26 EPCR Challenge Cup pool fixtures.

The recently renamed Affidea Stadium will host the teams’ first meeting since Ulster’s 31-15 home win in December 2023. Meanwhile, Connacht have plenty of history with their first opponents in Pool 1, the Ospreys.

The BKT United Rugby Championship rivals will clash on Sunday, December 7 at a Swansea venue to be confirmed, in what will be Connacht’s first Challenge Cup match under new head coach Stuart Lancaster.

Ulster will have back-to-back away games in the next two rounds, making the trip to regular URC opponents Cardiff on Saturday, December 13, before playing one of the tournament’s invited teams, South Africa’s Toyota Cheetahs, on Sunday, January 11.

The Ulstermen have played Cardiff 37 times since the Welsh regional side was established in 2003, and been victorious on 22 occasions, including seven times on the road.

However, Richie Murphy’s men did have a 19-point half-time lead erased when losing by two points at Cardiff Arms Park last October. This is the first time the province will compete in the Challenge Cup pool stages, after 30 years in the Investec Champions Cup.

Ulster will have a novel venue for their game against the Cheetahs, who have had Amsterdam’s NRCA Stadium as their Challenge Cup base for the last two seasons. They played Pau there in front of an attendance of 4,500 in January 2024.

Of course, Ulster have experience of playing the Cheetahs before, given the Bloemfontein-based franchise were part of the PRO14 between 2017 and 2020.

The teams’ January 11 encounter is most likely to take place in the Dutch capital. Notably, Ruan Pienaar, a firm fan favourite during his seven years at Ulster, is part of the Cheetahs coaching set-up.

Top 14 club Stade Français Paris will be the visitors to the Affidea Stadium for a lunchtime showdown on Saturday, January 17 (kick-off 1pm). Ulster won the sides’ most recent clash in Belfast back in December 2009, triumphing 23-13 with Ian Humphreys kicking 13 points.

Following the fourth round of pool ties, the top four teams in all three pools of six will progress to April’s round of 16, where they will be joined by four sides dropping down from the Champions Cup.

Connacht, who reached the Challenge Cup’s last-eight this past season, bowing out to a Lancaster-coached Racing 92, will have first-time opponents in the second round on Saturday, December 13.

Georgian club Black Lion will come to Galway for an 8pm kick-off, with the visitors set to include some of the players that lined out for the Lelos in their 34-5 summer Test defeat to Ireland in Tbilisi.

The second of the competition’s invited teams, Black Lion, are led by Georgian national coach Richard Cockerill. They have had a couple of notable wins in the Challenge Cup, beating the Scarlets 23-7 in Llanelli, and French side Vannes 22-19, at home last December.

Connacht will wrap up the pool stages by taking on two French opponents in the New Year. They will return to Montpellier’s GGL Stadium for the first time in five years, hoping to reverse the result from January 2020 when they lost 35-29.

Lancaster’s charges will be looking to make the most of home advantage when US Montauban pay them a visit on Saturday, January 17 (kick-off 8pm). Dexcom Stadium’s new North Stand, with a capacity of just over 7,000, is due to be completed by December.

Following their thrilling recent Pro D2 title win, Montauban are back in the Challenge Cup for the first time since the 2009/10 season. Limerick-born former Ulster lock Frank Bradshaw Ryan is part of their current squad.

The fixtures were determined following the input of individual team calendar and venue considerations, broadcast requirements, and league calendar restrictions into an algorithm with the outcome of the recent pool draw, all of which were considered to deliver the optimum pool match schedule.

EPCR Chairman Dominic McKay commented: “We’re thrilled to unveil the full fixture list for the 2025/26 season. I’d like to thank our teams, leagues, and broadcast partners for their continued support and collaboration.

“After a standout year marked by record-breaking growth across TV, digital, and live attendance, we’re eager to build on that momentum with another thrilling set of pool fixtures.

“With the ‘Road to Bilbao’ now officially underway, we’re looking forward to a season packed with unforgettable moments as we build toward the 2026 finals weekend at San Mamés Stadium.”

Jacques Raynaud, EPCR CEO, added: “Following the recent pool draws and with valuable input from our teams, leagues, and broadcast partners, we’ve once again been able to finalise the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup schedules in a short timeframe.

“Fans can now start planning their EPCR weekends, whether cheering at home or travelling across Europe and South Africa for unforgettable away days.

“With 42 of the best clubs, franchises, and provinces in the world set to compete, we’re counting down the days until the action kicks off on Friday, December 5.”

The race to follow in the footsteps of this year’s winners Bath will intensify when the Challenge Cup knockout stages begin in April. The semi-finals will follow over the weekend of May 1/2/3, before all roads lead to the Spanish city of Bilbao for the final on Friday, May 22.

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2025/26 EPCR CHALLENGE CUP POOLS:

POOL 1: Ospreys, Zebre Parma, Montpellier Hérault Rugby, US Montauban, Black Lion, CONNACHT RUGBY

POOL 2: LOU Rugby, Newcastle Falcons, Dragons RFC, Benetton Rugby, Lions, USAP

POOL 3: Toyota Cheetahs, Cardiff Rugby, Exeter Chiefs, Racing 92, Stade Français Paris, ULSTER RUGBY

IRISH PROVINCES’ POOL FIXTURES –

ROUND 1:

Friday, December 5 –

ULSTER RUGBY v Racing 92, Affidea Stadium, 8pm (Premier Sports/beIN SPORTS/epcrugby.tv/FloRugby)

Sunday, December 7 –

Ospreys v CONNACHT RUGBY, venue tbc, 3.15pm (epcrugby.tv/Premier Sports/FloRugby)

ROUND 2:

Saturday, December 13 –

Cardiff Rugby v ULSTER RUGBY, Cardiff Arms Park, 8pm (S4C/beIN SPORTS/epcrugby.tv/FloRugby)

CONNACHT RUGBY v Black Lion, Dexcom Stadium, 8pm (Premier Sports/beIN SPORTS/Rugby TV/epcrugby.tv/FloRugby)

ROUND 3:

Sunday, January 11 –

Montpellier Hérault Rugby v CONNACHT RUGBY, GGL Stadium, 2pm local time/1pm Irish time (France TV/beIN SPORTS/Premier Sports/epcrugby.tv/FloRugby)

Toyota Cheetahs v ULSTER RUGBY, venue tbc, 3.15pm Irish time (epcrugby.tv/SuperSport/beIN SPORTS/FloRugby)

ROUND 4:

Saturday, January 17 –

ULSTER RUGBY v Stade Français Paris, Affidea Stadium, 1pm (Premier Sports/beIN SPORTS/epcrugby.tv/FloRugby)

CONNACHT RUGBY v US Montauban, Dexcom Stadium, 8pm (Premier Sports/beIN SPORTS/epcrugby.tv/FloRugby)

2025/26 EPCR Challenge Cup Full Fixture List

MATCH WEEKENDS:

Round 1 – December 5/6/7
Round 2 – December 12/13/14
Round 3 – January 9/10/11
Round 4 – January 16/17/18

Round Of 16 – April 3/4/5
Quarter-Finals – April 10/11/12
Semi-Finals – May 1/2/3

EPCR Challenge Cup Final – San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao, Friday, May 22