The 2026 European Rugby Champions Cup final was the final match of the 2025–26 European Rugby Champions Cup campaign, and the 31st European first-tier club rugby final overall. It was contested by holders Bordeaux Bègles and eight times finalists Leinster.

The San Mamés Stadium was the host venue for the second time, having last hosted the final in 2018.

Bordeaux Bégles won the final 41-19 and claimed their second title. It was Leinster's fifth final defeat in a row, and fourth in five seasons.

Background Bordeaux Bègles is looking to retain their 2025 title, in what will be Bordeaux's second appearance in the Champions Cup final. Leinster, by contrast, have been in the European showdown on a record eight other occasions, winning on four titles, the last coming in 2018, the last time Bilbao hosted the European final. Including the 2012–13 European Challenge Cup final, this was a record tenth European final for the Irish province.

Both sides enter the final having won all their games; with Bordeaux sitting as top seeds with the full 20 points in the pool stage, and Leinster entering as third seeds. Away from Europe, both sides enter the final with similar domestic form, with Bordeaux sitting in fourth place in the 2025–26 Top 14 season, with Leinster having the week before finished in second place in the 2025–26 United Rugby Championship regular season.

The two sides have only faced each other twice in their history, both coming during the 1998–99 Heineken Cup pool stage (before Bordeaux Bègles became UBB), where Leinster won their home game 9–3, and Bordeaux responded in theirs, 31–10.

Route to the final

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away). Bordeaux BèglesRound LeinsterOpponentResultPool stageOpponentResult BullsW 33–46 (A)Round 1 HarlequinsW 45–28 (H) ScarletsW 50–21 (H)Round 2 Leicester TigersW 15–23 (A) Northampton SaintsW 50–28 (H)Round 3 La RochelleW 25–24 (H) Bristol BearsW 15–27 (A)Round 4 BayonneW 13–22 (A)Final standingsOpponentResultKnockout stageOpponentResult Leicester TigersW 64–14 (H)Round of 16 EdinburghW 49–31 (H) ToulouseW 30–15 (H)Quarter-finals Sale SharksW 43–13 (H) BathW 38–26 (H)Semi-finals ToulonW 29–25 (H)

Match

Summary Leinster began the match at pace, putting pressure on the champions in the early stages, and gaining an early foothold with an 8th minute try by Tommy O'Brien. Bordeaux, however, weathered the early storm, and in a brutal 24 minute period before half time, scored five unanswered and converted tries through captain Maxime Lucu, Paolo Uberti, a double from superstar wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey, and a Yoram Moefana intercept try from a Harry Byrne pass to effectively end the game as a contest before half time. Leinster hit back early in the second half through Joe McCarthy after Lucu's yellow card for pulling the lock's hair., but failed to capitalise on their man advantage; Lucu returned to kick two penalties, and while Garry Ringrose notched a late third try for Leinster, the damage had long since been done. The final result was Leinster's fifth defeat in the European final, but by some distance their most emphatic loss, as Luca lifted the Cup for the second year in succession.

Details

FB 15 Salesi RayasiRW 14 Pablo Uberti OC 13 Damian PenaudIC 12 Yoram MoefanaLW 11 Louis Bielle-BiarreyFH 10 Matthieu Jalibert SH 9 Maxime Lucu (c) N8 8 Marko Gazzotti OF 7 Cameron Woki BF 6 Pierre Bochaton RL 5 Adam Coleman LL 4 Boris Palu TP 3 Carlü Sadie HK 2 Maxime Lamothe LP 1 Jefferson Poirot Substitutions:HK 16 Gaëtan Barlot PR 17 Ugo Boniface PR 18 Ben Tameifuna BR 19 Lachlan Swinton BR 20 Temo Matiu BR 21 Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer WG 22 Arthur Retière FH 23 Hugo Reus Coach: Yannick Bru FB 15 Hugo Keenan RW 14 Tommy O'BrienOC 13 Garry RingroseIC 12 Robbie Henshaw LW 11 Rieko IoaneFH 10 Harry Byrne SH 9 Jamison Gibson-Park N8 8 Caelan Doris (c)OF 7 Josh van der FlierBF 6 Jack Conan RL 5 James RyanLL 4 Joe McCarthy TP 3 Tom Clarkson HK 2 Dan Sheehan LP 1 Andrew Porter Substitutions:HK 16 Rónan Kelleher PR 17 Paddy McCarthy PR 18 Tadhg Furlong BR 19 Diarmuid Mangan BR 20 Max Deegan SH 21 Luke McGrath FH 22 Ciarán Frawley WG 23 Jamie Osborne Coach: Leo Cullen Player of the Match: Maxime Lucu (Bordeaux Bègles)

Assistant referees: Christophe Ridley (England) Hollie Davidson (Scotland) Television match official: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa) Notes: Bordeaux Bègles became the fifth team to retain their European title and the first since La Rochelle in 2023. It was the sixth consecutive French win, the longest run of dominance in the history of the competition.

References

External links Official Site