Munster will take on Gloucester in historic Champions Cup clash at Páirc Uí Chaoimh

Leinster kick off their campaign with a home fixture against Harlequins.

HISTORIC FIXTURE: Munster's historic first Champions Cup game at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh will be against Gloucester on Saturday December 13. Pic: ©INPHO/Ken Sutton

Munster's historic first Champions Cup game at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh will be against Gloucester on Saturday, December 13. 

Munster have played at the famous Cork GAA venue on two previous occasions, selling out against South Africa A and the Crusaders, with a record crowd attendance of 41,400 in November 2022 when they took on the South Africa outfit.

Munster will be on the road for their opening clash when they head to The Rec to take on Bath, fresh from their historic treble, on Saturday December 6 (8pm). Munster head to Top 14 side Toulon for their third round clash on Sunday January 11 (1pm local time). Munster final round clash will be at home in Thomond Park when they face Castres on Saturday January 17 (5.30pm).

The competition kicks off on Friday December 5 with Sale Sharks hosting Glasgow Warriors at Salford Community Stadium (8pm) while Bayonne take on the Stormers at Stade Jean-Dauger (9pm local time).

On Saturday December 6, Leinster welcome Premiership side Harlequins with the venue yet to be decided due to continued works on the redevelopment of the RDS. They are on the road for round two when they head to Welford Road to take on Leicester Tigers on Friday December 12 (8pm). 

They will take on old foes La Rochelle in round three when they welcome Ronan O'Gara's side on Saturday January 10 (5.30pm). Their final round will be on the road when they take on Bayonne on Saturday January 17 (3.15pm local time).

Last year's champions Bordeaux Bègles kick off their campaign when they travel to South Africa to take on the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld (5.15pm local time). They will be at home in round two against Scarlets on Saturday December 13 (5.30pm local time) before welcoming Premiership side Northampton Saints on Sunday January 11 2026 (3.15pm local time). They will be on the road for their final clash when they take on Pat Lam's Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate on Sunday January 18 (1pm).

Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle are at home for their first round when they welcome Leicester Tigers on Saturday December 6 (5.30pm local time). They head to South Africa for round two when they face Stormers on Saturday December 13 before heading to face Leinster in round three in what is becoming a regular fixture. Their final round game will be at home to Harlequins on Sunday January 18 (3.15pm local time).

Six times champions Toulouse are at home for their first round when they take on Sharks at the Stade Ernest Wallon on Sunday December 7 (5.30pm local time) in what is a round one blockbuster clash.

Pau make a return to the top-tier competition for the first time in 25 years and they have a home fixture against Northampton Saints (2pm local time).

In the EPCR Challenge Cup, Ulster will kick off their campaign when they welcome Racing 92 to the Affidea Stadium on Friday December 5 (8pm). Connacht will be the last off the Irish sides to kick off their European fixtures when they travel to Ospreys on Sunday December 7 (3.15pm).

Investec Champions Cup fixtures 2025/26 (all times local times)

Round 1

Friday December 5: Sale Sharks v Glasgow Warriors, Salford Community Stadium, 8pm; Bayonne v Stormers, Stade Jean Dauger, 8pm.

Saturday December 6: Saracens v Clermont Auvergne, StoneX Stadium, 1pm; Bulls v Bordeaux Bègles, Loftus Versfeld, 3.15pm (local time); La Rochelle v Leicester Tigers, Stade Marcel Deflandre, 5.30pm; Leinster v Harlequins, TBD, 5.30pm; Scarlets v Bristol Bears, Parc y Scarlets, 8pm; Bath v Munster, The Rec, 8pm.

Sunday December 7: Pau v Northampton Saints, Stade du Hameau, 1pm; Toulouse v Sharks, Stade Ernest Wallon, 3.15pm; Gloucester v Castres, Kingsholm, 3.15pm; Edinburgh v RC Toulon, TBD, 5.30pm.

Round 2

Friday December 12: Leciester Tigers v Leinster, Welford Road, 8pm.

Saturday December 13: Stormers v La Rochelle, TBD, 1pm; Sharks v Saracens, Kings Park, 3.15pm; Clermont Auvergne v Sale Sharks, Stade Marcel-Michelin, 3.15pm; Bordeaux Bègles v Scarlets, Stade Chaban-Delmas, 5.30pm; Munster v Gloucester, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 5.30pm; Glasgow Warriors v Toulouse, Scotstoun Stadium, 8pm.

Sunday December 14: Harlequins v Bayonne, Twickenham Stoop, 1pm; Castres v Edinburgh, Stade Pierre-Fabre, 1pm; Toulon v Bath, Stade Felix Mayol, 3.15pm; Northampton Saints v Bulls, Franklin's Gardens, 3.15pm; Bristol Bears v Pau, Ashton Gate, 5.30pm.

Round 3

Friday January 9 2026: Castres v Bath, Stade Pierre-Fabre, 8pm; Edinburgh v Gloucester, TBD, 8pm.

Saturday January 10 2026: Bulls v Bristol Bears, Loftus Versfeld, 1pm; Clermont Auvergne v Glasgow Warriors, Stade Marcel-Michelin, 3.15pm; Leinster v La Rochelle, TBD, 5.30pm; Sale Sharks v Sharks, Salford Community Stadium, 5.30pm; Scarlets v Pau, Parc y Scarlets, 8pm; Leicester Tigers v Bayonne, Welford Road, 8pm.

Sunday January 10 2026: Harlequins v Stormers, Twickenham Stoop, 1pm; Toulon v Munster, Stade Felix Mayol, 1pm; Bordeaux Bègles v Northampton Saints, Stade Chaban-Delmas, 3.15pm; Saracens v Toulouse, StoneX Stadium, 5.30pm.

Round 4

Friday January 16 2026: Pau v Bulls, Stade du Hameau, 8pm; Bath v Edinburgh, The Rec, 8pm.

Saturday January 17 2026: Sharks v Clermont Auvergne, Kings Park, 1pm; Bayonne v Leinster, Stade Jean Dauger, 3.15pm; Stormers v Leicester Tigers, DHL Stadium, 3.15pm; Toulouse v Sale Sharks, Stade Ernest Wallon, 5.30pm; Munster v Castres, Thomond Park, 5.30pm; Gloucester v Toulon, Kingsholm, 8pm.

Sunday January 18 2026: Bristol Bears v Bordeaux Bègles, Ashton Gate, 1pm; Northampton Saints v Scarlets, Franklin's Gardens, 3.15pm; La Rochelle v Harlequins, Stade Marcel Deflandre, 3.15pm; Glasgow Warriors v Saracens, Scotscun Stadium, 5.30pm.

EPCR Challenge Cup fixtures 2025/26 (times are local time)

Round 1

Friday December 5: Ulster v Racing 92, Affidea Stadium, 8pm.

Saturday December 6: Lions v Benetton, Emirates Airline Park, 1pm; Stade Francais v Cardiff, Stade Jean Bouin, 1pm; Black Lion v Montpellier, Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, 3.15pm; Lyon v Newcastle Falcons, Matmut Stadium de Gerland, 5.30pm; Zebre Parma v US Montauban, Sadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 8pm.

Sunday December 7: Perpignan v Dragons, Stade Aime Giral, 1pm; Ospreys v Connacht, TBD, 3.15pm; Exeter Chiefs v Cheetahs, Sandy Park, 5.30pm.

Round 2 

Friday December 12: Montpellier v Zebre Parma, GGL Stadium, 8pm.

Saturday December 13: Benetton v Perpignan, Stadio Monigo, 1pm; Cheetahs v Stade Francais, TBD, 1pm; US Montauban v Ospreys, Stade Sapiac, 3.15pm; Newcastle Falcons v Lions, Kingston Park, 5.30pm; Cardiff v Ulster, Cardiff Arms Park, 8pm; Connacht v Black Lion, Dexcom Stadium, 8pm. 

Sunday December 14: Racing 92 v Exeter Chiefs, TBD, 1pm; Dragons v Lyon, Rodney Parade, 3.15pm.

Round 3

Saturday January 10 2026: Stade Francais v Exeter Chiefs, Stade Jean Bouin, 1pm; US Montauban v Black Lion, Stade Sapiac, 1pm; Newcastle Falcons v Perpignan, Kingston Park, 1pm; Lions v Lyon, Emirates Airline Park, 3.15pm; Cardiff v Racing 92, Cardiff Arms Park, 3.15pm; Benetton v Dragons, Stadio Monigo, 5.30pm.

Sunday January 10 2026: Montpellier v Connacht, GGL Stadium, 1pm; Zebre Parma v Ospreys, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 1pm; Cheetahs v Ulster, TBD, 3.15pm.

Round 4

Friday January 16 2026: Dragons v Newcastle Falcons, Rodney Parade, 8pm.

Saturday January 17 2026: Ulster v Stade Francais, Affidea Stadium, 1pm; Black Lion v Zebre Parma, Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, 1pm; Perpignan v Lions, Stade Aime Giral, 5.30pm; Connacht v US Montauban, Dexcom Stadium, 8pm; Ospreys v Montpellier, TBD, 8pm.

Sunday January 18 2026: Exeter Chiefs v Cardiff, Sandy Park, 1pm; Lyon v Benetton, Matmut Stadium de Gerland, 1pm; Racing 92 v Cheetahs, Paris La Defense Arena, 5.30pm.