Dates and format for next years Champions Cup confirmed

The European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) have announced the 2022/23 season dates for its competitions.

A couple of days removed from Munster’s heartbreaking loss to Toulouse in the Champions Cup quarter-final, the format of next year’s competition has been confirmed.

Played over eight weekends, the 2022/23 Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup will kick off in December with two consecutive weekends of pool stage action, and the next pool stage rounds will take place over consecutive weekends in mid-January 2023.

The knockout stages will start on the weekend of 31 March-1/2 April with the Round of 16 matches followed swiftly by the quarter-finals on 7/8/9 April.

The semi-finals get underway on the last weekend of April with the finals taking place on Friday, May 19, and Saturday, May 20, 2023.

EPCR Chief Executive, Anthony Lepage, said:

“We are coming to the climax of what has been a challenging season for European club rugby, and have been able to welcome fans back to stadia from the recommencement of our competitions at the beginning of April.

“We have seen the very best EPCR competitions have to offer and are building towards what will no doubt be a sensational weekend of rugby for our Finals later this month.

“As we look ahead to next season, we are pleased to announce the dates of our competitions and we will be announcing the formats in the coming weeks.”

2022/23 weekends

Round 1 – 9/10/11 December 2022

Round 2 – 16/17/18 December 2022

Round 3 – 13/14/15 January 2023

Round 4 – 20/21/22 January 2023

Round of 16 – 31 March/ 1/2 April 2023

Quarter-finals – 7/8/9 April 2023

Semi-finals – 28/29/30 April 2023

EPCR Challenge Cup final – Friday 19 May 2023

Heineken Champions Cup final – Saturday 20 May 2023