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Current season or competition: 2024–25 EPCR Challenge Cup | |
 | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Inaugural season | 1996 |
| Number of teams | 18 |
| Nations |  England France Ireland Georgia Italy Scotland South Africa Wales |
| Holders | Sharks (1st title) (2023–24) |
| Most titles | Clermont Harlequins (3 titles) |
| Website | EPCR website |
| Related competitions | |
The EPCR Challenge Cup is an annual rugby union competition organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR).[1] It is the second-tier competition for clubs based in European leagues behind the European Rugby Champions Cup. From its inception in 1996 to 2014, it was known as the European Challenge Cup and governed by European Rugby Cup (ERC). Following disagreements in the structure of the tournament's format and division of revenue, the English and French leagues withdrew to form the EPCR, which organized the Challenge Cup and the Champions Cup since the 2014–15 season.[2]
The Challenge Cup is currently contested between 18 teams; 16 of which qualify from the three main European domestic leagues (Premiership Rugby, Top 14, and United Rugby Championship).
In 2023–24, two teams outside of the western Europe leagues[3] had been invited to participate in the tournament. The Cheetahs, a South African team who won the 2023 Currie Cup will play in the cup, using Amsterdam as their home base. Also, for the 2023–24 season, Georgia's Black Lion team will play in the cup, as holders of the third-tier Rugby Europe Super Cup. Many more teams had applied to play in the 2024 season of the Challenge Cup.[4]
- ^ "Challenge Cup | Fixtures & Results".
- ^ "A beginner's guide: The new European Rugby Champions Cup explained | Paul Rees". The Guardian. 11 April 2014.
- ^ The South African teams play in the Europe based United Rugby Championship
- ^ "European Challenge Cup: Georgian side Black Lion invited into European competition". BBC Sport. 6 July 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.