Follow the action in the 2024/25 Investec Champions Cup as it happens.
Domestic rugby takes a short break to make room for this year’s Investec Champions Cup, which kicks off on Friday 6 December. This guide explains how to watch European Rugby Champions Cup live streams wherever you are in the world – including free-to-air matches, and details of how you can use a VPN to watch your usual stream from abroad.
Round 1 dates: Friday 6 December-Sunday 8 December 2024
Watch Munster v Stade Français for FREE in Ireland: RTÉ Player
Watch Stormers v Toulon and Toulouse v Ulster for FREE in France: France TV
Watch in the UK: Premier Sports
Reigning champions Toulouse will be out to reclaim their European crown, but there are plenty of other contenders for the trophy. Seven more teams from France, eight from England, three each from Ireland and South Africa, and one apiece from Scotland and Italy are all chasing glory – starting with Bath Rugby hosting 2022 and 2023 winners La Rochelle.
Below you’ll find all the information you need to watch this weekend’s European Champions Cup live streams, including broadcaster details and timings for all 12 round 1 fixtures. And make sure you don’t miss a second of the English domestic action when it resumes with our guide to watching Gallagher Premiership Rugby.
Watch European Rugby Champions Cup: live stream selected matches FOR FREE
While you’ll have to pay for a subscription service if you want to watch every match of this season’s tournament, selected games in every round are available to watch for FREE. This means two free games on France TV per weekend in France and one on RTÉ in Ireland – usually featuring French or Irish sides, respectively. At present, there are no free viewing options in the UK.
These fixtures are available without subscription on free-to-air channels over the first weekend of the European Rugby Champions Cup:
Saturday 7 December
- Stormers v Toulon (France 2 in France)
- Munster v Stade Français (RTÉ Player in Ireland)
Sunday 8 December
- Toulouse v Ulster (France 2 in France)
If you’re a UK resident away from home but want your usual European Rugby Champions Cup coverage, it’s best to check out NordVPN so you can watch from abroad. Find out more below.
Watch Investec Champions Cup live streams from outside your country
If you want to watch Investec Champions Cup coverage from your home country’s broadcaster but are abroad, you can do so by using a VPN – Virtual Private Network.
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a handy piece of software that allows you to change your device’s IP address. This means you can view live or on-demand TV content as if you were sitting at home in front of your own television, even when you’re overseas – provided it complies with your service’s T&Cs, of course.
The technology experts from TechRadar love NordVPN for its strong privacy features, ease of use, and the fact it allows you to watch your favourite TV on multiple devices simultaneously. You also get a money-back guarantee, 24/7 support, and it’s currently available at a knockdown price.
Watch European Rugby Champions Cup live streams in the UK
TNT Sports (previously BT Sport) has ended its long association with the European Champions Cup. The new rights holder in the UK and Ireland is Premier Sports, who’ll air all 63 matches of this year’s tournament. (Meanwhile, in the European Challenge Cup, Premier Sports will screen two pool matches per round, two matches in the round-of-16, all the quarter- and semi-finals, and the final.)
UK viewers can subscribe to Premier Sports through the Sky, Virgin Media or Amazon platforms. It costs £15.99 per month to add Premier Sports to your existing package. With Sky you also have the option to pay £10.99 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 watch through your web browser or the Premier Sports app. Costs are £15.99 per month, £10.99 per month if you sign up for the full year, or £120 per year if you pay up front.
Although ITV showed a selection of matches free-to-air in recent seasons, there is no free broadcaster confirmed for the 2024/25 season in the UK.
Watch European Rugby Champions Cup: live stream from South Africa
The Sharks, Stormers and Bulls are all taking part in this year’s Investec Champions Cup, and after the Springboks’ impressive form in 2024, they’ll all be keen to get their name on one of the biggest club trophies in the game.
Subscription service SuperSport has the rights to air the 2024/25 European Rugby Champions Cup. There are various SuperSport packages available, whether you want to watch via DStv or stream.
Live stream the European Rugby Champions Cup in Ireland
Every game of this year’s tournament will be available to stream on Premier Sports Ireland. You can subscribe to the platform through Sky, Now and Virgin Media – costs vary by platform.
One game per match week will also be available FOR FREE on RTÉ 2 and RTÉ Player – this week it’s Munster v Stade Français.
Watch European Rugby Champions Cup: live stream from the USA
FloRugby has the rights to stream the European Rugby Champions Cup live for viewers in the United States.
A FloRugby monthly subscription costs $29.99 or you can take out an annual one for $150 (which works out at £12.50 per month).
Watch European Rugby Champions Cup: live stream from elsewhere
In France most of the European Rugby Champions Cup matches will be available on subscription service beIN Sports, but two matches in every round of the pool stages will be available on the free-to-air France TV. This weekend it’s Stormers v Toulon and Toulouse v Ulster.
In Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, you can watch Investec Champions Cup matches on Viaplay.
In various other European countries (including Italy), Australia, South-east Asia and the Pacific Islands, EPCR TV should be your destination. There are options to buy weekend and season passes.
In New Zealand you need to head to Sky Sport.
European Champions Cup 2024/25: round 1 fixtures
Here’s the full list of fixtures for the first weekend of European Champions Cup action (all kick-off times GMT):
Friday 6 December
- Bath Rugby v La Rochelle (8.00pm)
Saturday 7 December
- Clermont Auvergne v Benetton (1.00pm)
- Sharks v Exeter Chiefs (1.00pm)
- Northampton Saints v Castres (3.15pm)
- Stormers v Toulon (3.15pm) Free on France TV
- Munster v Stade Français (5.30pm) Free on RTÉ Player
- Saracens v Bulls (5.30pm)
- Glasgow Warriors v Sale Sharks (8.00pm)
- Racing 92 v Harlequins (8.00pm)
Sunday 8 December
- Bordeaux-Bègles v Leicester Tigers (1.00pm)
- Toulouse v Ulster (3.15pm) Free on France TV
- Bristol Bears v Leinster (5.30pm)
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