The European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) has announced a significant broadcast partnership with Premier Sports, which will become the lead broadcaster for the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup in the UK and Ireland for the upcoming seasons. This new partnership ensures that all of Northampton Saints’ European competition matches will be featured on the channel throughout the season.
The three-year agreement, set to last until the end of the 2026/27 season, will see Premier Sports cover all 63 Investec Champions Cup matches. In addition, the channel will broadcast two EPCR Challenge Cup pool matches per round, along with two Round of 16 games, and every match in the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the Final.
Premier Sports is rapidly establishing itself as a key player in the rugby broadcasting landscape. This season alone, the channel will air 20 EPCR Challenge Cup matches, and it already serves as the UK broadcaster for the TOP14 and the BKT United Rugby Championship (URC). Over the past six years, Premier Sports has broadcast more than 900 live rugby fixtures, including every URC game live and the Grand Final.
Beyond rugby, Premier Sports offers extensive coverage of various sports and leagues, including rights to LALIGA, Scottish Football, Copa Italia, DFB Pokal, NHL, and NASCAR.
In a move to further enhance its rugby offerings, Premier Sports plans to launch a dedicated 24/7 rugby channel, with the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup as its central focus.
Jacques Raynaud, CEO of EPCR, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “Premier Sports has huge ambition to become the home of club rugby in the UK and Ireland, along with their rights to TOP14 and URC competitions. We are delighted to join them on this journey and tremendously excited to help them reach new heights by bringing the very best of elite club rugby to UK and Ireland audiences.”
Raynaud also highlighted the importance of the new fixture times for English clubs, designed to avoid clashes with Premier League football and maximize viewership. He praised Premier Sports for their commitment to raising the profile and production quality of URC coverage and looked forward to their continued collaboration.
Mickey O’Rourke, the founding Managing Director of Premier Sports, shared his excitement about the partnership: “We are delighted and proud to bring the world’s greatest international club rugby competition to our customers in the UK and Ireland. Every week will be rugby week at Premier Sports, with a stellar talent line-up of top pundits, presenters, and commentators leading our coverage.”
O’Rourke also emphasized Premier Sports’ commitment to making rugby accessible to all fans, with affordable subscription offers aimed at welcoming new rugby viewers to the channel.
