How to watch Champions Cup rugby: TV & streaming guide for 2026-27 tournamement

This article explains how to watch the Investec Champions Cup as the 2026-27 edition gets underway on Friday 16 October.

You’ll find a comprehensive guide to ways to watch the European Rugby Champions Cup below – including free options to watch Clermont Auvergne v Leinster and Toulouse v Exeter Chiefs in France – along with info on broadcasters elsewhere.

Don’t forget that if you’re travelling overseas during the competition, you can use a VPN to watch your usual Investec Champions Cup live stream from abroad. Read on to find out more.

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Champions Cup 2026-27: At a glance

– Dates: 16 October 2026 – 22 May 2027

– Watch every match: Premier Sports (UK/Ireland) / FloRugby (US) / SuperSport (South Africa) / EPCR TV (around the world)

– FREE STREAMS (selected matches only): S4C Clic / BBC iPlayer (UK), France TV (France)

– Watch from anywhere: Use NordVPN to access your usual stream from abroad

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Are there any free Investec Champions Cup live streams?

Yes, several European Champions Cup games will be available for free in both the UK and France over the course of the 2026-27 season.

In the UK

Free-to-air Welsh channel S4C shows selected European games involving Welsh teams on the S4C terrestrial channel, S4C Clic, BBC iPlayer and the S4C Chwaraeon YouTube channel. Some options provide commentary in English as well as Welsh, though iPlayer is usually Welsh-only.

This weekend they’ve opted to show Scarlets v Newcastle Red Bulls in the Challenge Cup (k/o 8.00pm BST, Saturday 17 October), but you can watch a rerun of Sunday afternoon’s Northampton Saints v Cardiff clash in the Champions Cup on Sunday night (8.00pm BST).

In France

While you can watch every European Rugby Champions Cup game this season through subscription service beIN Sports, selected games – usually involving French teams – are also available for free via public broadcaster France TV – on both its streaming service and TV channels.

This weekend you can watch the following matches for free:

• Saturday 17 October Clermont Auvergne v Leinster (kick-off: 3.15pm BST / 4.15pm CET (local))
• Sunday 18 October Toulouse v Exeter Chiefs (kick-off: 3.15pm BST / 4.15pm CET (local))

If you’re away from home this weekend but want to watch your usual free European Champions Cup live stream, it’s best to check out NordVPN so you can watch from overseas. Read on to find out more.

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Stream the Champions Cup from anywhere

Being abroad doesn’t have to stop you watching European Champions Cup live streams. A VPN bypasses geo-blocking by changing your IP address, letting you stream Champions Cup 2026-27 matches as if you were at home. Tech experts at TechRadar and Tom’s Guide rate NordVPN as world number one, thanks to its low price and unrivalled ability to unblock streaming services.

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Where to watch Investec Champions Cup in the UK 

As it was last season, the European Rugby Champions Cup’s UK home is Premier Sports, who have rights to air all 63 matches of this year’s tournament. Subscribers can also enjoy coverage of the URC, the European Challenge Cup and the French Top 14.

• Read more: How to watch the United Rugby Championship 2026-27

UK viewers can sign up to Premier Sports through the Sky, Virgin Media or Amazon platforms. It costs £18.99 per month to add Premier Sports to your existing package, and with Sky you also have the option to pay £13.99 per month if you sign up for the whole year, or £130 (£10.83 per month) if you pay for 12 months up front.

You can also get a standalone online streaming subscription to Premier Sports, which works across a variety of apps and devices. It also costs £18.99 a month on a rolling basis, £13.99 a month on a year-long contract, or £130 a year (equivalent to £10.83 per month) if you pay up front.

As previously mentioned, some matches will also be available for free on Welsh service S4C.

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Watch the the Champions Cup in Ireland

Premier Sports is also your destination for European Rugby Champions Cup live streams in Ireland.

If you’re an existing Sky Sports customer, you can add Premier Sports Ireland to your subscription as part of the Sports Extra pack (which also includes TNT Sports). This costs €10 per month for the first six months, before rising to €25 per month for the next six months.

Premier Sports is also available with a Now Sports Extra membership (day and month memberships are available from €11.99 per month), and through Virgin Media (check their website for details).

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Watch the Champions Cup live in South Africa

In South Africa? You can watch European Rugby Champions Cup action on SuperSport this season. There are various SuperSport packages available, whether you want to stream or watch via DStv.

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Stream the Champions Cup in the US

FloRugby (also the US home of PREM Rugby) has the rights to the rest of this season’s matches. A monthly FloRugby subscription costs $39.99, though you can save money by grabbing an annual deal for $155.88 (which works out at £12.99 per month and also gives you access to other channels on the FloSports network).

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Champions Cup coverage in Australia, New Zealand, Europe and more

In Australia, New Zealand, across Europe (including Italy) and in other countries where there’s no separate broadcast deal in place, EPCR TV should be your destination for European Rugby Champions Cup live streams. There are options to buy weekend and season passes – check prices where you are.

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We recommend VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:

1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service)
2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad

We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.