 | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2014 |
| Headquarters | Lausanne, Switzerland |
| Chairman | Dominic McKay (From May 2022) |
| CEO | Jacques Raynaud (From June 2023) |
| Replaced | European Rugby Cup (ERC) |
| Official website | |
| www | |
European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) is the governing body and organiser of the two major club rugby union tournaments: the European Rugby Champions Cup and the EPCR Challenge Cup.[1] A third tournament, the European Rugby Challenge Cup Qualifying Competition[2] was introduced as a qualification competition for clubs from minor nations to enter the Challenge Cup. EPCR shared control of this tournament with Rugby Europe, the international federation for rugby union in Europe, and with the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR). The tournament was discontinued after the 2018/19 season.
The organisation was established in 2014 in Neuchâtel, Switzerland and is now headquartered in Lausanne. Switzerland was chosen so as not to have the headquarters in any of the seven participating countries.[3]
EPCR has nine stakeholders – the six tier 1 unions whose national teams play in the Six Nations Championship, and the club bodies that represent the English, French, Scottish, Irish, Italian, Welsh and South African clubs in their respective leagues.
The inaugural competitions were held in the 2014/15 season.