EPCR/Champions Cup: record attendance and growing audiences during the 2025-26 group stage

European Professional Club Rugby recorded "a record of more than 931,000 spectators" across the Investec Champions Cup group stage (four matchdays, 48 games), held from 15/12/2025 to 18/01/2026, the governing body said on 02/04/2026, on the eve of the Round of 16.

The Investec Champions Cup averaged around 19,400 spectators per match. These figures are "on track for another record-breaking attendance total for the season," according to the EPCR, whose 2026 Challenge Cup and Investec Champions Cup finals will be held on 22 and 23/05/2026 at San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao (53,000 capacity, ESP).

The body also reported record audiences for the group stage across its key markets in France, the UK and Ireland:

• Pay-TV broadcaster beIN Sports France reported a 15% increase in Investec Champions Cup audiences compared with the same period in 2024-25. "Stade Toulousain (Top 14) remains the most popular club to watch, with an average of 341,000 viewers against Saracens RFC (Gallagher PREM) and 332,000 viewers against the Hollywoodbets Sharks," the EPCR said.

• Pay-TV broadcaster Premier Sports…