Lions host Leinster and Sharks face Ospreys as 2026-27 URC fixtures are confirmed

The reveal of next year's fixture list comes in the immediate aftermath of the 2025/26 regular season, which saw one of the tightest play-off races since the league was formed in 2022.

Next season's campaign will begin on Friday, 25th September and will conclude on Saturday, 15th May, with fixtures across Wales, South Africa, Ireland and Italy pencilled in for the opening round. There is also a more even spread of home and away fixtures and an optimised touring model for South African teams, who will each complete three two-game tours this season.

There will also be themed rounds this season, with further details to be confirmed later in the year.

The format of the season will remain unchanged, with the top eight teams progressing into the end-of-season play-offs as well as the Investec Champions Cup. The quarter-finals will begin on Friday, 28th May with the Grand Final also booked in for Saturday, 19th June.

Commenting on the fixture list and next season, Martin Anayi, URC CEO, said: "Publishing our fixtures earlier than ever before is a major achievement and an important step for our clubs, supporters, broadcasters and venues. Fan certainty is hugely important to us. The more notice we can provide around fixtures and kick-off times, the easier it becomes for supporters to plan their weekends, travel to games and follow their teams throughout the season.

"This has been a very collaborative process with our clubs and broadcasters, and we are grateful for the way they have worked with us to deliver a more balanced fixture list. The touring model has helped us create a better cadence of home and away games across the season, while also supporting improved kick-off scheduling.

"After the closest-ever Race to the Eight in 2025/26, we are preparing for another incredibly dramatic Vodacom URC season. The level of competitiveness across the league continues to grow and we know every round will have a major impact on the battle for Play-Off places, European qualification and, ultimately, the title."

2026-27 URC fixtures

Round One

Friday, 25th September

Benetton v Dragons

Connacht v Stormers

Ulster v Edinburgh

Saturday, 26th September

Lions v Leinster

Sharks v Ospreys

Munster v Glasgow Warriors

Zebre v Bulls

Scarlets v Cardiff

Round Two

Friday, 2nd October

Cardiff v Zebre Parma

Edinburgh v Stormers

Benetton v Connacht

Saturday, 3rd October

Lions v Ospreys

Dragons v Scarlets

Sharks v Leinster

Munster v Bulls

Glasgow Warriors v Ulster

Round Three

Friday, 9th October

Glasgow Warriors v Connacht

Dragons v Ospreys

Saturday, 10th October

Bulls v Lions

Stormers v Sharks

Zebre Parma v Edinburgh

Scarlets v Benetton

Ulster v Munster

Leinster v Cardiff

Round Four

Friday, 23rd October

Cardiff v Sharks

Connacht v Zebre Parma

Edinburgh v Lions

Saturday, 24th October

Bulls v Ulster

Stormers v Scarlets

Benetton v Glasgow Warriors

Leinster v Munster

Ospreys v Dragons

Round Five

Friday, October 30th

Connacht v Leinster

Glasgow Warriors v Lions

Saturday, 31st October

Stormers v Ulster

Bulls v Scarlets

Benetton v Edinburgh

Munster v Sharks

Dragons v Zebre Parma

Ospreys v Cardiff

Round Six

Friday, 4th December

Ospreys v Leinster

Edinburgh v Dragons

Saturday, 5th December

Lions v Bulls

Sharks v Stormers

Cardiff v Ulster

Scarlets v Connacht

Glasgow Warriors v Benetton

Zebre Parma v Munster

Round Seven

Friday, 18th December

Ulster v Ospreys

Munster v Scarlets

Saturday, 19th December

Zebre Parma v Benetton

Stormers v Lions

Cardiff v Dragons

Sharks v Bulls

Leinster v Glasgow Warriors

Connacht v Edinburgh

Round Eight

Saturday, December 26th

Dragons v Cardiff

Ospreys v Scarlets

Sunday, 27th December

Benetton v Zebre Parma

Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors

Ulster v Connacht

Munster v Leinster

Saturday, 20th February

Lions v Sharks

Bulls v Stormers

Round Nine

Saturday, 2nd January

Sharks v Lions

Zebre Parma v Glasgow Warriors

Scarlets v Dragons

Connacht v Munster

Edinburgh v Benetton

Cardiff v Ospreys

Leinster v Ulster

Sunday, 3rd January

Stormers v Bulls

Round 10

Friday, 22nd January

Glasgow Warriors v Scarlets

Ulster v Sharks

Saturday, 23rd January

Lions v Zebre Parma

Stormers v Cardiff

Ospreys v Edinburgh

Benetton v Bulls

Leinster v Dragons

Munster v Connacht

Round 11

Friday, 29th January

Dragons v Munster

Glasgow Warriors v Ospreys

Saturday, 30th January

Lions v Cardiff

Stormers v Zebre Parma

Scarlets v Edinburgh

Leinster v Bulls

Benetton v Sharks

Connacht v Ulster

Round 12

Friday, 26th February

Munster v Benetton

Dragons v Ulster

Saturday, 27th February

Lions v Stormers

Bulls v Sharks

Cardiff v Glasgow Warriors

Zebre Parma v Scarlets

Ospreys v Connacht

Edinburgh v Leinster

Round 13

Friday, 19th March

Sharks v Edinburgh

Glasgow Warriors v Stormers

Connacht v Cardiff

Saturday, 20th March

Ulster v Zebre Parma

Bulls v Dragons

Munster v Ospreys

Scarlets v Lions

Leinster v Benetton

Round 14

Friday, 26th March

Glasgow Warriors v Zebre Parma

Scarlets v Leinster

Saturday, 27th March

Bulls v Edinburgh

Connacht v Lions

Sharks v Dragons

Cardiff v Munster

Benetton v Ulster

Ospreys v Stormers

Round 15

Friday, 16th April

Dragons v Glasgow Warriors

Edinburgh v Cardiff

Saturday, 17th April

Lions v Munster

Stormers v Benetton

Ospreys v Bulls

Leinster v Connacht

Ulster v Scarlets

Zebre Parma v Sharks

Round 16

Friday, 23rd April

Zebre Parma v Ospreys

Ulster v Leinster

Cardiff v Bulls

Saturday, 24th April

Lions v Benetton

Scarlets v Sharks

Stormers v Munster

Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh

Connacht v Dragons

Round 17

Friday, 17th May

Dragons v Lions

Edinburgh v Zebre Parma

Saturday, 8th May

Sharks v Connacht

Bulls v Glasgow Warriors

Munster v Ulster

Scarlets v Ospreys

Leinster v Stormers

Benetton v Cardiff

Round 18

Friday, 14th May

Ospreys v Benetton

Ulster v Lions

Edinburgh v Munster

Saturday, 15th May

Bulls v Connacht

Cardiff v Scarlets

Sharks v Glasgow Warriors

Dragons v Stormers

Zebre Parma v Leinster

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