The Scarlets will kick-off their Investec Champions Cup campaign with a home clash against Pat Lam’s Bristol Bears side at Parc y Scarlets on Saturday 6 December (KO: 8.00pm).
Drawn in Pool 4 with reigning champions Bordeaux-Begles and last season’s runners-up Northampton Saints, the Welsh Shield winners will have home advantage in rounds one and three on their return to the top flight of European club action.
Bristol reached the semi-finals of the English Premiership last season and won on their last trip to Wales when they beat Bath in a league outing at the Principality Stadium.
Round 2 will see Dwayne Peel’s men head to Stade Chaban-Delmas to face the champions, Bordeaux-Begles - who have French flyers Damian Penaud and Louis Bielle-Birrey on their flanks - on Saturday 13 December (KO: 5.30pm).
Another Top 14 side, Pau, will be the visitors to Llanelli in Round 3 on Saturday 10 January 2026 (KO: 8.00pm), while the final pool outing will be at Franklin’s Gardens against a Saints side that has provided four players to the current British & Irish Lions squad in Tommy Freeman, Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell and Henry Pollock.
That game is on Sunday 18 January (KO: 3.15pm).
SCARLETS INVESTEC CHAMPIONS CUP POOL 4 FIXTURES 2025-26
Saturday 6 December: Scarlets v Bristol Bears – Parc y Scarlets (KO: 8.00pm)
Saturday 13 December: Bordeaux-Begles v Scarlets – Stade Chaban-Delmas (KO: 5.30pm)
Saturday 10 January: Scarlets v Pau – Parc y Scarlets (KO: 8.00pm)
Sunday 18 January: Northampton Saints v Scarlets – Franklin’s Gardens (KO: 3.15pm)
READ MORE: Scarlets, Ospreys, Cardiff And Dragons Discover European Fate
The other three Welsh regions will be playing in the EPCR Challenge Cup with both Cardiff Rugby and the Dragons heading to France for their first round matches.
Cardiff head to Paris to take on Stade Francais, while the Dragons will go further south to Perpignan.
Matt Sherratt’s Cardiff side will then get back-to-back home games at the Arms Park against fellow BKT United Rugby Championship outfit Ulster and the other team in Paris, Racing 92. Ulster head to the Welsh capital on Saturday 13 December, with Racing 92 arriving a week later.
Cardiff complete their Pool 3 campaign with a trip to the west country to tackle Exeter Chiefs on Sunday 18 January.
The Dragons, meanwhile, will host last season’s runners-up Lyon at Rodney Parade in Round 2 on Sunday 14 December (KO: 3.15).
They will be in Italy in Round 2 to face Benetton Rugby before finishing their Pool 2 assignments at Rodney Parade on Friday 16 January against Newcastle Falcons – one of the teams they beat in last season’s tournament.
READ MORE: Ospreys Boss Raises Alarm As WRU Plans Potential Cut To Professional Teams In Wales
The Ospreys, who have reached the quarter-finals in each of the last two seasons, start with a tricky home tie against URC rivals Connacht (KO: 3.15pm) before hitting the road with back-to-back away trips to Montauban and Zebre.
They face a second French challenge in Round 4 when they host Montpellier on Saturday 17 January.
WELSH REGIONS POOL FIXTURES IN EPCR CHALELNGE CUP 2025-26
Cardiff Rugby
Saturday 6 December: Stade Francais Paris v Cardiff Rugby – Stade Jean Bouin (KO: 1.00pm)
Saturday 13 December: Cardiff Rugby v Ulster – Arms Park (KO: 8.00pm)
Saturday 10 January: Cardiff Rugby v Racing 92 – Arms Park (KO: 3.15pm)
Sunday 18 January: Exeter Chiefs v Cardiff Rugby – Sandy Park (KO: 1.00pm)
Dragons
Sunday 7 December: Perpignan v Dragons – Stade Aime Giral (KO: 1.00pm)
Sunday 14 December: Dragons v Lyon – Rodney Parade (KO: 3.15pm)
Saturday 10 January: Benetton Rugby v Dragons – Stade Monigo (KO: 5.30pm)
Friday 16 January: Dragons v Newcastle Falcons – Rodney Parade (KO: 8.00pm)
Ospreys
Sunday 7 December: Ospreys v Connacht – TBC (KO: 3.15pm)
Saturday 13 December: Montauban v Ospreys (KO: 3.15pm)
Sunday 11 January: Zebre Parma v Ospreys – Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi (KO: 1.00pm)
Saturday 17 January: Ospreys v Montpellier – TBC (KO: 8.00pm)
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