Challenge Cup Rugby: A Guide to Europe's Second Club Competition
The Challenge Cup doesn't get the same headlines as its bigger sibling, but ask anyone who's actually been to a final and they'll tell you it's one of the most enjoyable weekends in the European rugby calendar. This guide covers what the Challenge Cup is, how it works, and what to expect if you're going.
What Is the Challenge Cup?
The EPCR Challenge Cup is European club rugby's second continental competition, sitting below the Champions Cup. It's organised by the same body, EPCR, and draws clubs from the same three leagues — France's Top 14, the United Rugby Championship, and England's Premiership — though typically clubs that didn't qualify for the Champions Cup that season, or dropped down from it after the pool stage.
That doesn't make it a lesser competition to watch. Clubs still treat it as a genuine trophy worth winning, and the rugby is often more open than a tightly-contested Champions Cup knockout match.
How the Challenge Cup Works
Like the Champions Cup, it runs a pool stage followed by knockout rounds, with the final played in May at the same host city as the Champions Cup Final — usually the day before. Sharing a weekend with the bigger final means the Challenge Cup Final gets a genuine occasion around it, even if the match itself gets slightly less attention.
French Clubs and the Challenge Cup
RC Vannes have used the Challenge Cup as a route into continental rugby, with pool matches at their home ground, Stade de la Rabine, drawing some of the best atmosphere the club sees all season. For a club outside the traditional Top 14 elite, a run in the Challenge Cup is a genuine chance at silverware and European exposure.
What Attending a Challenge Cup Match Is Like
Pool matches carry the same European-occasion feel as the Champions Cup — flags, anthems, and travelling supporters — often at grounds that don't get many continental fixtures in a typical season, which tends to make the crowd more invested rather than less.
The final weekend in Lyon effectively doubles up as a festival of European club rugby, with fans arriving for the Challenge Cup on the Friday and staying on for the Champions Cup Final the next day. Plenty of supporters build their whole trip around catching both.
How to Buy Challenge Cup Tickets
Rugby Box Office offers tickets across Challenge Cup fixtures with secure e-ticket delivery and our RBO Guarantee on eligible bookings.
Browse all Challenge Cup tickets | Challenge Cup Final tickets
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Challenge Cup?
European club rugby's second continental competition, run by EPCR alongside the Champions Cup. It draws clubs from France's Top 14, the United Rugby Championship, and England's Premiership.
Is the Challenge Cup less competitive than the Champions Cup?
Not in terms of effort or ambition — clubs genuinely compete for the trophy. It's made up of a different mix of teams, often those who didn't reach the Champions Cup knockout stage, but the matches themselves are frequently open and high-scoring.
Which French club plays in the Challenge Cup?
RC Vannes have been regular participants, using the competition as their route into European rugby.
When is the Challenge Cup Final?
Played in May, typically the day before the Champions Cup Final, at the same host city. The 2027 final is at OL Stadium in Lyon.
Can I attend both the Challenge Cup and Champions Cup finals?
Yes. With the two finals played on consecutive days at the same venue, many supporters buy tickets to both and turn it into a full European rugby weekend.