ALL fixtures confirmed for URC 2026/27 season - Leinster again start with South Africa tour
Rugby NewsTuesday, 19 May 2026 at 14:19
The full 2026/27 BKT United Rugby Championship fixture list has been officially released, with Leinster set to yet again kick-off their campaign in South Africa.
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The new campaign begins on Friday, September 25, with the opening weekend again showcasing the competition’s global footprint across Ireland, Italy, South Africa and Wales.
The release continues the URC’s push for greater scheduling certainty, improved home-and-away balance, and a refined touring model for the South African franchises, who will complete three two-match tours during the season.
Round 1 headlines include a heavyweight clash at Thomond Park as 2023 champions Munster host 2024 winners Glasgow Warriors, while Connacht welcome the DHL Stormers to Galway and Ulster face Edinburgh in Belfast. Elsewhere, Leinster begin their campaign away to the Lions at Ellis Park in Johannesburg, while Scarlets meet Cardiff in a Welsh derby at Parc y Scarlets.
The season structure remains unchanged, with the top eight advancing to the Play-Offs. The Quarter-Finals begin on May 28, with Semi-Finals on June 5 and the Grand Final set for June 19 to crown the 2026/27 champions.
The festive period again plays a major role, with derby-heavy rounds across December and early January, as the Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Italian and South African sides battle for bragging rights. The Race to the Eight then intensifies from Round 13 onwards.
BKT URC 2026/27 – Key Dates
- Season starts: Sept 25/26
- Round 6 restart: Dec 4/5
- Regular season ends: May 14/15
- Play-Offs: May 28 – June 19
- Final: June 19
Round 1 Fixtures (Sept 25–26)
Friday, Sept 25
- Benetton v Dragons — Stadio Monigo, Treviso (19:45 IRE/UK | 20:45 ITA/SA)
- Connacht v DHL Stormers — Dexcom Stadium, Galway (19:45 | 20:45)
- Ulster v Edinburgh — Affidea Stadium, Belfast (19:45 | 20:45)
Saturday, Sept 26
- Lions v Leinster — Ellis Park, Johannesburg (12:30 | 13:30)
- Sharks v Ospreys — Kings Park, Durban (15:00 | 16:00)
- Munster v Glasgow Warriors — Thomond Park, Limerick (17:30 | 18:30)
- Zebre Parma v Bulls — Stadio Lanfranchi, Parma (17:30 | 18:30)
- Scarlets v Cardiff — Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli (19:45 | 20:45)
Selected Season Structure
Round 2–5: Oct 2–Nov 1
Round 6–9: Dec 4–Jan 3 (festive derbies included)
Round 10–14: Jan 22–Mar 27
Round 15–18: Apr 16–May 15
Round 6–9: Dec 4–Jan 3 (festive derbies included)
Round 10–14: Jan 22–Mar 27
Round 15–18: Apr 16–May 15
Play-Offs
- Quarter-Finals: May 28/29
- Semi-Finals: June 5
- Grand Final: June 19
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- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
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