How to watch Investec Champions Cup live streams when the third round kicks off this weekend
This article explains how to watch the Investec Champions Cup when the 2025-26 edition of the competition returns this weekend.
You’ll find a extensive guide to ways to watch the European Rugby Champions cup, with info on broadcasters in the UK, Ireland, South Africa and around the world. Heading into the third round of fixtures, Bordeaux Bègles (the reigning champions), Bristol Bears, Glasgow Warriors, Leinster, Northampton Saints and the Stormers are in pole position for the round-of-16 having won thier opening matches – but with saints heading to Bordeaux, at least one 100 per cent record is coming to an end.
In the meantime, you can watch the Gallagher PREM and the URC while the European competitions are taking a break.
And don’t forget that if you’re travelling overseas over the course of the season, you can use a VPN to watch your usual Investec Champions Cup live stream from abroad. Read on to find out more. You’ll also find the third round of fixtures at the bottom of the page.
Champions Cup rugby: Key details
– Dates: 5 December 2025 – 24 May 2026
– 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
Are there any free Investec Champions cup live streams?
Yes, European Champions Cup games will be available for free in both the UK and France over the course of the 2025-26 season.
In the UK
Free-to-air Welsh channel S4C often shows one match featuring a Welsh region in every round of the competition, across 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’s free-to-air match on S4c is:
- Scarlets v Pau (8.00pm GMT, Saturday 10 January)
In france
In France, two games per round are available for free via public broadcaster France TV. This weekend you can watch:
- Clermont Auvergne v Glasgow Warriors (3.15pm GMT/4.15pm CET, Saturday 10 January)
- Bordeaux-Bègles v Northampton Saints (3.15pm GMT/4.15pm CET,Sunday 11 January)
You can also watch every european Rugby Champions Cup game this season through subscription service beIN Sports.
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.
Stream the Champions Cup from anywhere
Going away for business or pleasure over the course of the season doesn’t mean you have to miss out on watching your favorite team in European action. fans who are travelling overseas can watch their usual service with the help of a VPN.
A VPN (or Virtual Private Network) is a clever piece of software that allows you to change the IP address of your smartphone, tablet or laptop. This means your device can appear to be back home, allowing you to watch your usual live or on-demand content as if you were back on your sofa – assuming it complies with the broadcaster’s T&Cs, of course.
right now, the tech experts at TechRadar and Tom’s Guide reckon NordVPN is top of the league, delivering “the best balance of privacy, usability, extra features, and value for money,” according to Tom’s guide.
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 PREM Rugby, the European Challenge Cup, the French Top 14, US Major league Rugby and Japan Rugby One.
UK viewers can sign up to Premier sports through the Sky, Virgin Media or Amazon platforms. It costs £16.99 per month to add Premier Sports to your existing package,and with Sky you also have the option to pay £11.99 per month if you sign up for the whole year, or £120 (£10.00 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 costs £16.99 a month on a rolling basis, £11.99 a month on a year-long contract, or £120 a year (equivalent to £10 per month) if you pay up front.
premier Sports is also available on your TV via Sky Q, Prime Video, STV Player and Virgin Media.
As previously mentioned, some matches will also be available for free on Welsh service S4C.
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).
Watch the Champions Cup live in South africa
In South Africa? You can watch the Bulls, the Sharks and the Stormers in european Rugby Champions Cup action on SuperSport this season. there are various SuperSport packages available, whether you want to watch via DStv or stream.
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 $29.99, though you can save money by grabbing an annual deal for $150 (which works out at £12.50 per month and also gives you access to other channels on the FloSports network).
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.
European Rugby Champions Cup round 3 fixtures
Here’s what’s coming up in third round of European Rugby Champions Cup fixtures.
Friday 9 January 2026
- Castres v Bath Rugby
Stade Pierre-Fabre, Castres
Kick-off: 8.00pm GMT - Edinburgh Rugby v Gloucester Rugby
Hive Stadium, Edinburgh
Kick-off: 8.00pm GMT
Saturday 10 January 2026
- Bulls v Bristol Bears
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 1.00pm GMT - Clermont Auvergne v Glasgow Warriors – FREE ON FRANCE TV IN FRANCE
Stade Marcel-Michelin, Clermont-Ferrand
Kick-off: 3.15pm GMT - Leinster v La Rochelle
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Kick-off: 5.30pm GMT - Sale Sharks v Sharks
CorpAcq Stadium, Salford
Kick-off: 5.30pm GMT - Scarlets v Pau – FREE ON S4C IN THE UK
Parc y Scarlets, llanelli
Kick-off: 8.00pm GMT - Leicester Tigers v Bayonne
Mattioli Woods Welford Road, leicester
Kick-off: 8.00pm GMT
sunday 11 January 2026
- Harlequins v Stormers
Twickenham Stoop, London
Kick-off: 1.00pm GMT - Toulon v Munster
Stade Felix Mayol, Toulon
Kick-off: 1.00pm GMT - Bordeaux Bègles v Northampton Saints – FREE ON FRANCE TV IN FRANCE
Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux
Kick-off: 3.15pm GMT - Saracens v Toulouse
StoneX Stadium, London
Kick-off: 5.30pm GMT
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- Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service)
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