It’s URC v Top 14 but who will lift European club rugby’s biggest trophy in Bilbao?
Watch the European Rugby Champions Cup final for free on ITVX or France TV, as perennial runners-up Leinster meet reigning champions Bordeaux Bègles in Bilbao.
Below you’ll find everything you need to know to watch Leinster v Bordeaux Bègles, with details of television channels and streaming options around the world – including details of how you can watch for FREE in the UK and France. We also explain how you can use a VPN to watch your usual live streams from overseas.
Watch European Champions Cup final: Key information
– Date: Saturday 23 May, 2026
– Venue: San Mames Stadium, Bilbao
– Kick-off time: 2.45pm BST / 3.45pm CET (local) / 9.45am EDT
– FREE STREAMS: ITVX (UK) / France TV (France)
– Live streams: Premier Sports (UK/Ireland) / FloRugby (US) / SuperSport (South Africa) / EPCR TV (around the world)
– Watch from anywhere: Use NordVPN to access your usual stream from abroad
How to watch the European Champions Cup final 2026 for free
There are two options for watching the biggest game in European club rugby for FREE:
- In the UK the Champions Cup final is available on terrestrial channel ITV4. You can also watch a Leinster v Bordeaux Bègles live stream via by logging into ITVX. The pre-match build-up starts at 1.45pm BST this afternoon, an hour ahead of the 2.45pm kick-off. Both services are free to use, but you do need to complete a simple sign-up process to access the service. You also need an up-to-date TV Licence to stream live TV in the UK.
- In France Bordeaux’s attempt to retain their title will be broadcast on France 2 and the France TV streaming service. Coverage gets underway at 3.10pm CET, 35 minutes before the match kicks off in Bilbao.
But don’t worry if you’re away from home this weekend. You can still watch your usual streaming services with a bit of help from a good VPN.
Stream Leinster v Bordeaux Bègles from anywhere
Being outside your home country right now doesn’t mean you have to miss out on this year’s Champions Cup final. A good VPN allows you to change your IP address, avoiding geo-restrictions by making your device appear to be back home. The result? You can tune in to your usual Leinster v Bordeaux Bègles live stream as if you were sitting on your sofa back home.
NordVPN is our favourite and rated as the #1 VPN by our colleagues at TechRadar.
Other European Champions Cup live streams in the UK
Premier Sports holds the UK rights to European Champions Cup matches. A Premier Sports subscription also includes the URC, the European Challenge Cup, the French Top 14, US Major League Rugby and Japan Rugby One.
Coverage of Leinster v Bordeaux Bègles starts on Premier Sports 1 at 1.45pm BST, an hour before kick-off.
It costs £17.99 per month to add Premier Sports to your existing package, and with Sky you also have the option to pay £12.99 per month if you sign up for the whole year, or £130 (£10.83 per month) if you pay for 12 months up front. Premier Sports is available on your TV via Sky Q, Prime Video, STV Player, Virgin Media and Amazon.
Another option is a standalone streaming subscription to Premier Sports. These are available across a variety of apps and devices, and cost £17.99 a month on a rolling basis, £12.99 a month on a year-long contract, or £130 a year if you pay up front.
Watch Leinster v Bordeaux in Ireland
Premier Sports has the rights to European Champions Cup final live streams in Ireland. The service is available through a Sky, Now or Virgin Media subscription. Prices vary by provider.
European Champions Cup final streams around the world
- United States: FloRugby has been the US rights holder for European Champions Cup matches over the course of the 2025-26 season, so there was no way they were going to miss out on this eagerly anticipated Leinster v Bordeaux Bègles live stream. A subscription costs $39.99 per month or $155.88 per year (which works out at £12.99 per month). The match kicks off at 9.45am EDT / 6.45am PDT on Saturday morning.
- South Africa: SuperSport is the destination for South African rugby fans looking to watch the European Champions Cup final when the match kicks off at 3.45pm SAST on Saturday afternoon. There are various SuperSport packages available, via DStv or stream.
- Around the world: In countries where there’s no separate Champions Cup broadcast deal in place (including Australia, New Zealand and Italy), you’ll want to head to EPCR TV to watch Leinster v Bordeaux live streams. There are options to buy weekend passes.
We recommend VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:
- Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service)
- Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad
We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: rugbyworld.com
