European Rugby Opens With Revised Champions Cup Format

The 2026/27 European club rugby competitions open this weekend with changes to the Champions Cup schedule, bonus-point rules and pool qualification system, as clubs begin the opening round of both the Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup. Round 1 is scheduled across the weekend beginning Friday, October 16. The programme lists 12 Champions Cup matches and nine Challenge Cup fixtures. The Champions Cup opens with defending champions Bordeaux-Bègles away to Gloucester Rugby on Friday. Saturday and Sunday bring the remaining matches, including Glasgow Warriors against Sale Sharks, Pau against Leicester Tigers and Toulouse against Exeter Chiefs. The start of the Champions Cup pool stage has moved from December to mid-October, according to the competition changes announced by EPCR. A team will now earn a bonus point by scoring at least three tries more than its opponent, replacing the previous threshold of four tries. Qualification has also been revised. The top three teams in each pool advance automatically, while four additional places go to the teams outside those top three with the highest match-point totals across the pools.