There are 24 teams divided into four pools in the Investec Champions Cup, and every team — yes, even you, Scarlets — should enter the competition believing it can win it all.
These are the 24 best teams in Europe (and Africa).
But the pool-play component certainly makes it more challenging for some teams to win it all, or even make the knockout stage.
Here’s how it works: There are six teams in each pool. Teams that hail from the same domestic league don’t play each other in the four rounds of pool play — not the case in the EPCR Challenge Cup, by the way. The top four teams in each pool advance to the Round of 16, because, you know, math.
So, there probably will be a team that finishes fourth that isn’t as good as a team that finishes fifth in another pool.
But, if a team finishes fifth, its European trophy dreams aren’t completely dashed.
The four teams that just miss the knockout stages of the Champions Cup will head to the Challenge Cup knockout Round of 16.
So, which Champions Cup pool is the toughest to make the knockout stage this year? Well, here’s our take:
The Champions Cup Pool Of Death Is Pool 4
Not Pool 1 you say? Nope.
The 2025 Champions Cup finalists are in this pool, including the defending champion, Union Bordeaux-Bègles.
Northampton, the runner-up, is at the top of the PREM Rugby table.
The Vodacom Bulls were in the URC Grand Final and, as we love to say about the Bulls in the FloSports Slack channels, “are always good.”
But what has put this pool over the top is Pau, or Section Paloise, which is the top team in France and has wins over Bayonne and Toulouse.
Then, Louis Rees-Zammit returned to rugby after trying his hand at being a Kansas City Chief in the NFL and signed with the Bristol Bears, yet another club in this pool.
And, to be frank, the last-but-not-least team in this pool is the Scarlets — the only Welsh team in the competition — which means Bristol and Pau have to come to Wales for those matches.
Pool 4 vs. Pool 1 Of The Investec Champions Cup
Both are incredibly difficult pools.
Pool 1 features the Glasgow Warriors and Hollywoodbets Sharks of the URC; Toulouse and Clermont of the Top 14; and Saracens and Sale Sharks of PREM Rugby.
While a good team is not going to make the playoffs out of this group, Pool 4 has two teams at the top of the table in their pool and have five teams that expect to be in the Final, let a lone the playoffs.
Pool 4, though, features at least five of the six clubs who can get on a run and win it all.
Investec Champions Cup 2025-2026 Fixtures
Here’s a look at each round:
Investec Champions Cup Round 1 Friday, Dec. 53 p.m. ET: Sale Sharks vs. Glasgow Warriors, Salford Community Stadium3 p.m. ET: Bayonne vs. DHL Stormers, Stade Jean DaugerSaturday, Dec. 68 a.m. ET: Saracens vs. Clermont Auvergne, StoneX Stadium10:15 a.m. ET: Vodacom Bulls vs. Bordeaux-Bègles, Loftus Versfeld12:30 p.m. ET: La Rochelle vs. Leicester Tigers, Stade Marcel Deflandre12:30 p.m. ET: Leinster Rugby vs. Harlequins, TBD3 p.m. ET: Scarlets vs. Bristol Bears, Parc y Scarlets3 p.m. ET: Bath Rugby vs. Munster Rugby, The RecSunday, Dec. 78 a.m. ET: Pau vs. Northampton Saints, Stade du Hameau10:15 a.m. ET: Toulouse vs. Hollywoodbets Sharks, Stade Ernest Wallon10:15 a.m. ET: Gloucester Rugby vs. Castres Olympique, KingsholmDec. 7–9 (TBD)Edinburgh Rugby vs. Toulon, TBDInvestec Champions Cup Round 2 Friday, Dec. 123 p.m. ET: Leicester Tigers vs. Leinster Rugby, Mattioli Woods Welford RoadSaturday, Dec. 138 a.m. ET: DHL Stormers vs. La Rochelle, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium10:15 a.m. ET: Hollywoodbets Sharks vs. Saracens, Hollywoodbets Kings Park10:15 a.m. ET: Clermont Auvergne vs. Sale Sharks, Stade Marcel-Michelin12:30 p.m. ET: Bordeaux-Bègles vs. Scarlets, Stade Chaban-Delmas12:30 p.m. ET: Munster Rugby vs. Gloucester Rugby, SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh3 p.m. ET: Glasgow Warriors vs. Toulouse, Scotstoun StadiumSunday, Dec. 148 a.m. ET: Harlequins vs. Bayonne, Twickenham Stoop8 a.m. ET: Castres Olympique vs. Edinburgh Rugby, Stade Pierre-Fabre10:15 a.m. ET: Toulon vs. Bath Rugby, Stade Félix Mayol10:15 a.m. ET: Northampton Saints vs. Vodacom Bulls, cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s Gardens12:30 p.m. ET: Bristol Bears vs. Pau, Ashton GateInvestec Champions Cup Round 3 Friday, Jan. 93 p.m. ET: Castres Olympique vs. Bath Rugby, Stade Pierre-Fabre3 p.m. ET: Edinburgh Rugby vs. Gloucester Rugby, TBDSaturday, Jan. 108 a.m. ET: Vodacom Bulls vs. Bristol Bears, Loftus Versfeld10:15 a.m. ET: Clermont Auvergne vs. Glasgow Warriors, Stade Marcel-Michelin12:30 p.m. ET: Leinster Rugby vs. La Rochelle, TBD12:30 p.m. ET: Sale Sharks vs. Hollywoodbets Sharks, Salford Community Stadium3 p.m. ET: Scarlets vs. Pau, Parc y Scarlets3 p.m. ET: Leicester Tigers vs. Bayonne, Mattioli Woods Welford RoadSunday, Jan. 118 a.m. ET: Harlequins vs. DHL Stormers, Twickenham Stoop8 a.m. ET: Toulon vs. Munster Rugby, Stade Félix Mayol10:15 a.m. ET: Bordeaux-Bègles vs. Northampton Saints, Stade Chaban-Delmas12:30 p.m. ET: Saracens vs. Toulouse, StoneX StadiumInvestec Champions Cup Round 4 Friday, Jan. 163 p.m. ET: Pau vs. Vodacom Bulls, Stade du Hameau3 p.m. ET: Bath Rugby vs. Edinburgh Rugby, The RecSaturday, Jan. 178 a.m. ET: Hollywoodbets Sharks vs. Clermont Auvergne, Hollywoodbets Kings Park10:15 a.m. ET: Bayonne vs. Leinster Rugby, Stade Jean Dauger10:15 a.m. ET: DHL Stormers vs. Leicester Tigers, DHL Stadium12:30 p.m. ET: Toulouse vs. Sale Sharks, Stade Ernest Wallon12:30 p.m. ET: Munster Rugby vs. Castres Olympique, Thomond Park3 p.m. ET: Gloucester Rugby vs. Toulon, KingsholmSunday, Jan. 188 a.m. ET: Bristol Bears vs. Bordeaux-Bègles, Ashton Gate10:15 a.m. ET: Northampton Saints vs. Scarlets, cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s Gardens10:15 a.m. ET: La Rochelle vs. Harlequins, Stade Marcel Deflandre12:30 p.m. ET: Glasgow Warriors vs. Saracens, Scotstoun StadiumInvestec Champions Cup Fixtures By Pool
Here’s a breakdown of the schedule by pool:
Investec Champions Cup Pool 1Round 1Friday, Dec. 5 – 3 p.m. ET: Sale Sharks vs. Glasgow Warriors, Salford Community StadiumSaturday, Dec. 6 – 8 a.m. ET: Saracens vs. Clermont Auvergne, StoneX StadiumSunday, Dec. 7 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Toulouse vs. Hollywoodbets Sharks, Stade Ernest WallonRound 2Saturday, Dec. 13 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Hollywoodbets Sharks vs. Saracens, Hollywoodbets Kings ParkSaturday, Dec. 13 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Clermont Auvergne vs. Sale Sharks, Stade Marcel-MichelinSaturday, Dec. 13 – 3 p.m. ET: Glasgow Warriors vs. Toulouse, Scotstoun StadiumRound 3 Saturday, Jan. 10 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Clermont Auvergne vs. Glasgow Warriors, Stade Marcel-MichelinSaturday, Jan. 10 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Sale Sharks vs. Hollywoodbets Sharks, Salford Community StadiumSunday, Jan. 11 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Saracens vs. Toulouse, StoneX StadiumRound 4 Saturday, Jan. 17 – 8 a.m. ET: Hollywoodbets Sharks vs. Clermont Auvergne, Hollywoodbets Kings ParkSaturday, Jan. 17 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Toulouse vs. Sale Sharks, Stade Ernest WallonSunday, Jan. 18 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Glasgow Warriors vs. Saracens, Scotstoun StadiumInvestec Champions Cup Pool 2Round 1 Saturday, Dec. 6 – 3 p.m. ET: Bath Rugby vs. Munster Rugby, The RecSunday, Dec. 7 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Gloucester Rugby vs. Castres Olympique, KingsholmDec. 7–9 (TBD): Edinburgh Rugby vs. Toulon, TBDRound 2 Saturday, Dec. 13 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Munster Rugby vs. Gloucester Rugby, SuperValu Páirc Uí ChaoimhSunday, Dec. 14 – 8 a.m. ET: Castres Olympique vs. Edinburgh Rugby, Stade Pierre-FabreSunday, Dec. 14 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Toulon vs. Bath Rugby, Stade Félix MayolRound 3Friday, Jan. 9 – 3 p.m. ET: Castres Olympique vs. Bath Rugby, Stade Pierre-FabreFriday, Jan. 9 – 3 p.m. ET: Edinburgh Rugby vs. Gloucester Rugby, TBDSunday, Jan. 11 – 8 a.m. ET: Toulon vs. Munster Rugby, Stade Félix MayolRound 4 Friday, Jan. 16 – 3 p.m. ET: Bath Rugby vs. Edinburgh Rugby, The RecSaturday, Jan. 17 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Munster Rugby vs. Castres Olympique, Thomond ParkSaturday, Jan. 17 – 3 p.m. ET: Gloucester Rugby vs. Toulon, KingsholmInvestec Champions Cup Pool 3Round 1 Friday, Dec. 5 – 3 p.m. ET: Bayonne vs. DHL Stormers, Stade Jean DaugerSaturday, Dec. 6 – 12:30 p.m. ET: La Rochelle vs. Leicester Tigers, Stade Marcel DeflandreSaturday, Dec. 6 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Leinster Rugby vs. Harlequins, TBDRound 2 Friday, Dec. 12 – 3 p.m. ET: Leicester Tigers vs. Leinster Rugby, Mattioli Woods Welford RoadSaturday, Dec. 13 – 8 a.m. ET: DHL Stormers vs. La Rochelle, Nelson Mandela Bay StadiumSunday, Dec. 14 – 8 a.m. ET: Harlequins vs. Bayonne, Twickenham StoopRound 3 Saturday, Jan. 10 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Leinster Rugby vs. La Rochelle, TBDSaturday, Jan. 10 – 3 p.m. ET: Leicester Tigers vs. Bayonne, Mattioli Woods Welford RoadSunday, Jan. 11 – 8 a.m. ET: Harlequins vs. DHL Stormers, Twickenham Stoop
Round 4
Saturday, Jan. 17 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Bayonne vs. Leinster Rugby, Stade Jean DaugerSaturday, Jan. 17 – 10:15 a.m. ET: DHL Stormers vs. Leicester Tigers, DHL StadiumSunday, Jan. 18 – 10:15 a.m. ET: La Rochelle vs. Harlequins, Stade Marcel DeflandreInvestec Champions Cup Pool 4Round 1 Saturday, Dec. 6 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Vodacom Bulls vs. Bordeaux-Bègles, Loftus VersfeldSaturday, Dec. 6 – 3 p.m. ET: Scarlets vs. Bristol Bears, Parc y ScarletsSunday, Dec. 7 – 8 a.m. ET: Pau vs. Northampton Saints, Stade du HameauRound 2Saturday, Dec. 13 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Bordeaux-Bègles vs. Scarlets, Stade Chaban-DelmasSunday, Dec. 14 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Northampton Saints vs. Vodacom Bulls, cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s GardensSunday, Dec. 14 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Bristol Bears vs. Pau, Ashton GateRound 3 Saturday, Jan. 10 – 8 a.m. ET: Vodacom Bulls vs. Bristol Bears, Loftus VersfeldSaturday, Jan. 10 – 3 p.m. ET: Scarlets vs. Pau, Parc y ScarletsSunday, Jan. 11 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Bordeaux-Bègles vs. Northampton Saints, Stade Chaban-DelmasRound 4Friday, Jan. 16 – 3 p.m. ET: Pau vs. Vodacom Bulls, Stade du HameauSunday, Jan. 18 – 8 a.m. ET: Bristol Bears vs. Bordeaux-Bègles, Ashton GateSunday, Jan. 18 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Northampton Saints vs. Scarlets, cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s GardensHow To Watch Rugby Matches In The United States On FloRugby
The URC will stream all its matches on FloRugby and the FloSports app in the United States. FloRugby and FloSports also are the U.S. home to:
FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays.
Join The Rugby Conversation On FloRugby Social