How to watch Investec Champions Cup 2025/26: Live stream rugby union for FREE, TV channels, preview, Round 1 fixtures

Bordeaux players celebrate winning the 2024/25 Investec Champions Cup
(Image credit: Getty Images / David Rogers)

The Investec Champions Cup 2025/26 live streams will bring tries, big hits and drama galore as the 24 best club teams in Europe and South Africa duke it out to become continental kings. Clubs from England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, France and South Africa all set out with one goal – becoming European champion (yes, we know South Africa isn't in Europe, it's a long story).

Defending champions Bordeaux Bèrgles, who won their maiden crown in 2024/25, will start among the favorite. Devastating winger Damian Penaud was the tournament's top try scorer, while half-backs Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert have a brilliant understanding.

Les Girondins have the toughest group, though, with Northampton, Pau, the Bulls, Bristol Bears & Scarlets for company in Pool 4. It was Northampton they beat in last year's final, and the Saints still count on England regulars Alex Mitchell, Fraser Dingwall, Alex Coles and Fin Smith. The Bulls were runners-up in the most recent United Rugby Championship with Ruan Nortje part of a powerful pack..

Pool 1 is also stacked with big names who will fancy going all the way. Toulouse led France's domestic Top 14 before the continental season began and have Blair Kinghorn, Romain Ntamack, Jack Willis and Thomas Ramos among their number before you even get to Antoine Dupont's return from injury. The Sharks have Siya Kolisi, Ox Nché and Eben Etzebeth in another strong-looking pack and won last year's Challenge Cup, three-time champions Saracens who have Maro Itoje, Jamie George, Owen Farrell and up-and-coming teen Noah Caluori, the Sale Sharks of George Ford and Glasgow Warrior count Scotland centers Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones.

In Pool 3, Manu Tuilagi's Bayonne will hope to go far but the Stormers boast Damian Willemse and Springbok superstar Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Leinster have the majority of the Ireland starting XV including captain Caelan Doris. Harlequins may have their work cut out, but where there's Marcus Smith there's hope.

In Pool 2, Bath have a fearsome backline with Ollie Lawrence, in-form winger Henry Arundell, Santiago Carreras and Max Ojomoh and will face bitter West Country rivals Gloucester. Munster rely on fly-half Jack Crowley.

Here's where to watch the 2025/26 Investec Champions Cup live streams online from anywhere, potentially for FREE.

Champions Cup 2025/26 next fixtures – Round 1

▶︎ Friday, Dec. 5
3pm ET / 8pm GMT: Sale Sharks vs. Glasgow Warriors, Salford Community Stadium
3pm ET / 8pm GMT: Bayonne vs. DHL Stormers, Stade Jean Dauger

▶︎ Saturday, Dec. 6
8am ET / 1pm GMT: Saracens vs. Clermont Auvergne, StoneX Stadium
10:15am ET / 3:15pm GMT: Vodacom Bulls vs. Bordeaux-Bègles, Loftus Versfeld
12:30pm ET / 5:30pm GMT: La Rochelle vs. Leicester Tigers, Stade Marcel Deflandre
12:30pm ET / 5:30pm GMT: Leinster Rugby vs. Harlequins, Aviva Stadium
3pm ET / 8pm GMT: Scarlets vs. Bristol Bears, Parc y Scarlets
3pm ET / 8pm GMT: Bath Rugby vs. Munster Rugby, The Rec

▶︎ Sunday, Dec. 7
8am ET / 1pm GMT: Pau vs. Northampton Saints, Stade du Hameau
10:15am ET / 3:15pm GMT: Toulouse vs. Hollywoodbets Sharks, Stade Ernest Wallon
10:15am ET / 3:15pm GMT: Gloucester Rugby vs. Castres Olympique, Kingsholm
12:30pm ET / 5:30pm GMT: Edinburgh Rugby vs. Toulon, Murrayfield

Watch the 2025/26 Champions Cup for FREE

Rugby union fans, rejoice! Select matches from the 2025/26 Investec Champions Cup are being shown for FREE in the US and UK.

As an early Christmas present, FloRugby in the US will be showing every match in Round 1 (December 5-7, 2025) for free on the FloRugby YouTube channel as part of the 12 Matches of Christmas presented by World Rugby Shop.

Each gameweek, Welsh-language TV channel S4C will show the game featuring the Champions Cup's sole Welsh representative, the Scarlets. This will also be available on streaming platform BBC iPlayer. In the past, S4C and BBC iPlayer have also shown the grand final live.

France TV will also be showing two matches per gameweek for FREE. That includes Bulls vs Bordeaux and Toulouse vs Sharks in Round 1.

What if you're abroad? Rugby fans from the US and UK can use NordVPN to watch their usual streaming service from anywhere.

How to watch any Champions Cup 2025/26 stream using a VPN

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How to watch Champions Cup 2025/26 live streams in the US

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The 2025/26 Investec Champions Cup live streams are on FloRugby in the USA. That's right, every game will be shown live and on-demand on the streaming platform.

Plans start from $29.99 a month, or you can opt for the $150 annual subscription.

And, as we mentioned early, every fixture in Round 1 is available for FREE via the FloRugby YouTube channel.

On vacation outside the US? Use a VPN to watch FloRugby from abroad while you're away from home.

How to watch 2025/26 Champions Cup live streams in the UK

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(Image credit: Future)

In the UK, Premier Sports is the only destination to watch every match of the 2025/26 Champions Cup.

A subscription costs £16.99 per month, but if you're willing to commit to a year you'll pay £120.00.

Premier Sports also holds the rights to the United Rugby Championship, Top 14 and United Rugby Championship, La Liga and Coppa Italia.

As we've mentioned above, free-to-air options S4C and BBC iPlayer will show certain fixtures involving Welsh sides during the season.

If you're a UK resident but traveling outside the country you can use a VPN to catch the action for on Premier Sports from abroad.

How to watch 2025/26 Champions Cup live streams in South Africa

South Africa flag

The 2025/26 Investec Champions Cup will be televised on subscription service SuperSport.

You'll need to get a DStv access package to watch on SuperSport with prices starting at R99 ($5.66) per month.

Abroad right now? Just use a VPN and tell your device that you're back home and you'll be good to go.

How to watch 2025/26 Champions Cup live streams in Australia

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Fans based in Australia can watch live streams of every fixture in the 2025/26 Investec Champions Cup on the competition's dedicated streaming platform EPCR TV.

A season's pass costs €59.99 (it's billed in Euros), and will let you watch all games from the Champions Cup 2025/26, but if you pay for your up-front subscription before the start of the tournament on December 5 then it's only €49.99.

Weekend passes are also available for €14.99, or you can buy individual matches for €7.99.

Away from Australia, or your home country, right now? Use a VPN to watch EPCR TV from abroad.

How to watch 2025/26 Champions Cup live streams in Canada

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(Image credit: Other)

The 2025/26 Investec Champions Cup live streams are also on FloRugby in Canada.

Plans again start from $29.99 a month, or you can opt for the $150 annual subscription.

Remember, those free Round 1 games on the FloRugby YouTube channel.

Traveling outside the Great White North right now? Use a VPN to watch from abroad.

Official Champions Cup broadcasters by region

  • Asia

Premier Sports has the rights to the 2025/26 United Rugby Championship in Asian countries.

  • Europe

In Spain, Movistar is the place to go for 2025/26 Champions Cup live streams. In Portugal, meanwhile, Sport TV is what you want.

  • Rest of the world

For almost any other country in the world, the 2025/26 Investec Champions Cup is being shown on EPCR TV where the competition hasn't been picked up by a broadcaster.

A season's pass costs €59.99 (it's billed in Euros wherever you are), and will let you watch all games from the Champions Cup 2025/26, but if you pay for your up-front subscription before the start of the tournament on December 5 then it's only €49.99.

Weekend passes are also available for €14.99, or you can buy individual matches for €7.99.

2025/26 Champions Cup Q+A

Can I watch the 2025/26 Champions Cup for free?

What are the 2025/26 Champions Cup teams?

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England
Bath
Bristol Bears
Gloucester
Harlequins
Leicester Tigers
Northampton Saints
Sale Sharks
Saracens

🇫🇷 France
Bayonne
Bordeaux Bègles
Castres
Clermont
La Rochelle
Pau
Toulouse
Toulon

🇮🇪 Ireland
Munster
Leinster

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Wales
Scarlets

🇿🇦 South Africa
Bulls
Sharks
Stormers

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland
Edinburgh
Glasgow Warriors

Who are the recent Champions Cup winners?

2025 – Bordeaux Bègles
2024 – Toulouse
2023 – La Rochelle
2022 – La Rochelle
2021 – Toulouse
2020 – Exeter Chiefs
2019 – Saracens
2018 – Leinster
2017 – Saracens
2016 – Saracens
2015 – Toulon

What format is the 2025/26 Champions Cup?

There are 24 teams in the Investec Champions Cup: eight from England and France, then the top eight from United Rugby Championship, which this season means three from South Africa, two from Scotland and Ireland and one from Wales. These teams are split into four regional pools of six teams, with two teams from England and France in each group and two teams from the URC sides.

Each team will play the four teams not from its own league once with the top four teams advancing to the round of 16, where the top two teams in each group are given home advantage. The team that finishes fifth drops into the Challenge Cup knockouts, the bottom side is eliminated.

It's four points for a win, two for a draw, one for scoring four tries in a game, and one for losing by fewer than eight points

Can I watch the 2025/26 Champions Cup on my mobile?

Of course, most broadcasters have streaming services that you can access through mobile apps or via your phone's browser.

You can also stay up-to-date with all things Investec Champions Cup on the official EPCR Champions Cup social media channels on X (@ChampionsCup), YouTube (@ChampionsCup) and Instagram (@EuropeanRugbyChampionsCup).

Disclaimer

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Andy Murray
Freelance Writer and Editor

Andy Murray is an award-winning writer and columnist, voted the Consumer Journalist of the Year at the 2015 PPA New Talent Awards. A fluent Spanish speaker and former semi-professional footballer, he was senior staff writer of world-leading football magazine FourFourTwo from 2012 to 2019 and continues to write and edit for them, national newspapers, websites, the Olympic Games and Premier League clubs.

An avid music lover since an existential introduction to The Bends by Radiohead aged 10, he has been a Glastonbury regular for decades and always lends an ear to the latest tech. For the past three years, he has tested products, subedited reviews and delved deep into the minutiae of VPNs for TechRadar.

He is not a famous tennis player.

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