San Mames will once again be the setting for European rubgy’s premier matches, with Bilbao hosting the 2026 finals of the EPCR Challenge Cup and the Investec Champions Cip.
It is the result of collaboration between Athletic Club, the Basque Government, the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, the Bilbao City Council and the different rugby associations.
Following a bidding process – which received bids from 23 stadiums in 12 countries – carried out by the EPCR and The Sports Consultancy, the EPCR Board awarded the EPCR Challenge Cup 2026 and the Investec Champions Cup 2026 finals to the “superbly equipped San Mames stadium in Bilbao”.
The 74,000-capacity Principality Stadium in the Welsh capital will host next year’s finals.
It is also worth remembering that San Mamés will also host two other historic sporting events in the near future: the UEFA Women’s Champions League final on 25 May 2024 and the UEFA Europa League final in 2025.
