Get ready for the ultimate showdown in rugby as the Investec Champions Cup kicks off on December 8th! This prestigious tournament brings together 24 of the world’s top clubs from Europe and South Africa, all vying for the coveted European championship.
Since its inception in 1995, the Champions Cup has been the pinnacle of rugby excellence for almost three decades. This year, teams from Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland, France, and South Africa will go head-to-head in an epic battle for glory.
Investec Champions Cup
With the tournament scheduled over eight game-packed weekends, the updated format warrants increased competition among the teams. More matches will be played, and only the best will survive. Teams will need to brace themselves for intense battles to earn their spot in the Europa Cup finals.
As the tournament edges closer, all eyes are on La Rochelle, the French giants who are looking to make history by winning their third successive European Cup. Fans wait with bated breath to see if Ronan O’Gara’s side can defend their title against some of Europe’s best rugby teams.
Speaking of the defending champions, La Rochelle’s triumph against Leinster in last season’s final was a masterclass in come-back play. Denying Leinster a record-equalling fifth European crown made La Rochelle’s win all the more impressive. Therefore, Leinster will be seeking redemption and hoping to prove to the European Rugby audience that they can indeed hold their own against some of the best teams in the competition.
So, what can fans expect from the newly formatted Investec Champions Cup? The competition will be fierce, with each pool consisting of six teams. The top four teams from each pool will progress to the round of 16, with the remaining fifth-ranked teams earning a chance to qualify for the knock-out stage of the EPCR Challenge Cup. With the stakes higher and the competition more challenging, each match will count, and every point scored could prove the difference between victory and defeat.
The season will officially commence on December 8th, and the opening matches will include Connacht Rugby and Glasgow Warriors competing against Union Bordeaux Bègles and Northampton Saints, respectively. Fans can expect top-class rugby from some of the most formidable teams in Europe.
European Champions Cup Fixtures 2023-24
Round 1
- Fri 8 Dec Connacht v Bordeaux-Bègles (8pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Fri 8 Dec Glasgow Warriors v Northampton (8pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sat 9 Dec Toulon v Exeter Chiefs (1pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sat 9 Dec Bath v Ulster (3.15pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sat 9 Dec Toulouse v Cardiff (3.15pm) Live on TNT Sports & S4C
- Sat 9 Dec Bulls v Saracens (5.30pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sat 9 Dec Munster v Bayonne (5.30pm) Live on TNT Sports & RTÈ
- Sat 9 Dec Bristol Bears v Lyon (8pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sun 10 Dec Sale Sharks v Stade Français (1pm) Live on ITV & TNT Sports
- Sun 10 Dec La Rochelle v Leinster (3.15pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sun 10 Dec Leicester v Stormers (3.15pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sun 10 Dec Racing 92 v Harlequins (5.30pm) Live on TNT Sports
Round 2
- Fri 15 Dec Bayonne v Glasgow Warriors (8pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Fri 15 Dec Northampton Saints v Toulon (8pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sat 16 Dec Saracens v Connacht (1pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sat 16 Dec Stormers v La Rochelle (1pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sat 16 Dec Bordeaux-Bègles v Bristol Bears (3.15pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sat 16 Dec Lyon v Bulls (5.30pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sat 16 Dec Leinster v Sale Sharks (5.30pm) Live on TNT Sports & RTÈ
- Sat 16 Dec Cardiff v Bath (8pm) Live on TNT Sports & S4C
- Sat 16 Dec Ulster v Racing 92 (8pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sun 17 Dec Exeter Chiefs v Munster (1pm) Live on ITV & TNT Sports
- Sun 17 Dec Harlequins v Toulouse (3.15pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sun 17 Dec Stade Français v Leicester (5.30pm) Live on TNT Sports
Round 3
- Fri 12 Jan Northampton Saints v Bayonne (8pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sat 13 Jan Exeter Chiefs v Glasgow (1pm) Live on ITV & TNT Sports
- Sat 13 Jan Lyon v Connacht (1pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sat 13 Jan Bristol Bears v Bulls (3.15pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sat 13 Jan Toulon v Munster (3.15pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sat 13 Jan Leinster v Stade Français (5.30pm) Live on TNT Sports & RTÈ
- Sat 13 Jan Stormers v Sale Sharks (5.30pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sat 13 Jan Cardiff v Harlequins (8pm) Live on TNT Sports & S4C
- Sat 13 Jan Ulster v Toulouse (8pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sun 14 Jan Bath v Racing 92 (1pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sun 14 Jan La Rochelle v Leicester (3.15pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sun 14 Jan Bordeaux-Bègles v Saracens (5.30pm) Live on TNT Sports
Round 4
- Fri 19 Jan Connacht v Bristol Bears (8pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Fri 19 Jan Glasgow Warriors v Toulon (8pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sat 20 Jan Bulls v Bordeaux-Bègles (1pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sat 20 Jan Harlequins v Ulster (1pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sat 20 Jan Leicester Tigers v Leinster (3.15pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sat 20 Jan Racing 92 v Cardiff (3.15pm) Live on TNT Sports & S4C
- Sat 20 Jan Munster v Northampton (5.30pm) Live on TNT Sports & RTÈ
- Sat 20 Jan Stade Français v Stormers (5.30pm) Live on TNT Sports & S4C
- Sat 20 Jan Saracens v Lyon (8pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sun 21 Jan Sale Sharks v La Rochelle (1pm) Live on ITV & TNT Sports
- Sun 21 Jan Toulouse v Bath (3.15pm) Live on TNT Sports
- Sun 21 Jan Bayonne v Exeter Chiefs (5.30pm) Live on TNT Sports
Round of 16
Fri 5-Sun 7 April
Quarter-finals
Fri 12-Sun 14 April
Semi-finals
Fri 3-Sun 5 May
Final
Sat 25 May