Rugby/EPCR: finals of the 2025 European Cups in Cardiff (WAL) & in Bilbao (ESP) in 2026

The 2025 Investec Champions Cup and Challenge Cup finals will be held at Cardiff's Principality Stadium (74,000 capacity, Wales), while the 2026 finals will be played at Bilbao's Estadio San Mamés (53,000 capacity, Spain), announced European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) on 31/01/2024.

The finals will thus return to Bilbao eight years after those held in 2018: "Bilbao was a landmark choice in 2018 when the city staged the first EPCR finals weekend outside of rugby’s traditional six nations," said the governing body. As for Cardiff, the city has already hosted European finals seven times, most recently in 2014.

The Principality Stadium is owned and operated by the Welsh Rugby Union, while San Mamés is 30% owned by Athletic Club Bilbao (LALIGA EA Sports) as part of a public-private partnership.

The two stadiums were chosen following a call for tenders to which 23 stadiums in 12 countries responded. "Since the first decider in 1996, EPCR finals have been staged at 23 different venues in six countries. The dates of the 2025 and 2026 Finals Weekends, as well as ticketing arrangements…