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The EPCR Board has unanimously agreed that the new Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup tournament formats will be introduced for the 2020/21 season.
The decision to alter the formats for the upcoming season on an exceptional basis has been made in the context of the COVID-19 public health crisis and its continuing impact on professional club play in Europe.
The 2020/21 Heineken Champions Cup will be contested by 24 clubs with the eight highest ranked representatives from the Gallagher Premiership, Guinness PRO14 and TOP 14 securing their spots.
The clubs will be divided into two groups of 12 through a draw and the tournament will be played over eight weekends with four rounds of matches in the group stage followed by a knockout phase consisting of quarter-finals and semi-finals at home and away. and the final in Marseille on May 22, 2021.
For the purposes of the group draw, clubs will be divided into tiers and clubs from the same league at the same tier will not be included in the same group. The clubs ranked number 1 and number 2 in each league will be in Level 1, the clubs ranked number 3 and 4 will be in Level 2, the clubs ranked number 5 and 6 will be in Level 3, and the number 7 and number 8 classified clubs will be level 4.
Level 1 and Level 4 clubs that have been drawn in the same group, but are not in the same league, will play each other at home and away during the group stage, as will Level 2 and Level 3 clubs. that have been drawn in the same group, but are not in the same league.
Click HERE for a summary of the 2020/21 Heineken Champions Cup rules
The top four ranked clubs in each group will qualify for the quarter-finals, and the clubs ranked 5-8 in each group will compete in the knockout phase of the Challenge Cup.
“With an extended knockout stage and no repeats of national matches during the group stage, this format creates new competitive opportunities for Europe’s elite clubs and their fans,” said EPCR President Simon Halliday. “In this time of change, the Heineken Champions Cup with its global game stars, passionate fans and unique match day atmosphere is undoubtedly still the winner.”
The 2020/21 Challenge Cup will start with 14 clubs, six from TOP 14, four from Premiership and four from PRO14, in a single group. The tournament will be played over eight weekends with four rounds of matches in the preliminary stage, and again, clubs from the same league will not play each other.
Without the requirement of a group draw this time around, the 2020/21 Challenge Cup matches will be available to clubs and fans shortly after the conclusion of the current season.
The knockout phase of the tournament will consist of the round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals with the final in Marseille on May 21, 2021. The eight leading clubs, as well as eight representatives of the Heineken Champions Cup, will qualify for the round. . of 16.
Click HERE for a summary of the 2020/21 Challenge Cup rules
CLUBS QUALIFIED FOR HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP 2020/21
PRO14: Leinster Rugby, Edinburgh Rugby, Munster Rugby, Ulster Rugby, Scarlets, Glasgow Warriors, Connacht Rugby, Dragons (Classifications to be confirmed at the end of the current season)
TOP 14: Bordeaux-Bègles, Lyon, Racing 92, RC Toulon, La Rochelle, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Toulouse, * Montpellier or Castres Olympique
Premiership : TBC
CLUBS QUALIFIED FOR THE 2020/21 CHALLENGE CUP
PRO14: Benetton Rugby, Cardiff Blues, Zebre Rugby Club, Ospreys
TOP 14: Bayonne, Castres Olympique, Brive, Pau, Agen, Stade Français Paris
Premiership: Newcastle Falcons (3 other clubs to be confirmed at the end of the current season)
*N.B If they are not already ranked number one, the 2020 Heineken Champions Cup winners will become the second ranked club in their league. If they have not yet qualified for the Heineken Champions Cup, the 2020 Challenge Cup winners will take the place of the eighth ranked club in their league.
Start of the 2020/21 season: weekend of 12/11/13 December
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