The European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) is making a decisive move to modernize its fan engagement and digital infrastructure by taking full ownership of ticketing operations for its flagship tournaments — the Investec Champions Cup and the EPCR Challenge Cup.
In a strategic shift, EPCR has entered into a long-term partnership with Secutix, a global leader in ticketing technology, to power the entire ticketing experience for its 2026 Finals Weekend and beyond. The partnership will see EPCR adopt Secutix’s full suite of tools — including the S-360 SaaS platform, the mobile-first S-Mobile app, and integrated payments through S-Pay — to deliver a centralized, owned ticketing system.
For the first time in its history, EPCR will sell tickets directly through its own platform, beginning with the 2026 semi-finals and finals. The Finals Weekend, set to take place at Bilbao’s San Mamés Stadium in Spain, will feature the Challenge Cup final on May 22 and the Champions Cup final on May 23.
This move marks a significant evolution for EPCR, which has relied on third-party ticketing providers since its founding in 1996. Now, with a direct-to-fan platform, EPCR is poised to not only improve the buying experience but also capture critical data and strengthen its marketing and fan outreach capabilities.
According to EPCR Chief Executive Jacques Raynaud, the transition is a key pillar of the organisation’s broader digital transformation agenda. “We want to control the full ticketing journey — from sales to insights — as part of a wider strategy to enhance fan experience and build stronger relationships with our audience,” said Raynaud. “Secutix gives us the technological foundation to make that vision a reality.”
In recent years, Secutix has proven its capabilities across major international sporting events, including EPCR’s own 2024–25 semi-final between Union Bordeaux Bègles and Stade Toulousain, which sold out under Secutix’s ticketing system.
Currently, EPCR sells between 100,000 and 200,000 tickets across its semi-finals and finals. With a more streamlined, data-driven approach, the organisation expects to not only improve conversion but also increase overall ticket volume.
Looking ahead, EPCR has already confirmed Lyon, France, as the host city for the 2027 Finals Weekend — further underlining the competition’s pan-European appeal and its growing commercial footprint.
This partnership with Secutix signals a broader trend in elite sport: rights holders are reclaiming control of their digital ecosystems to boost revenue, deepen fan loyalty, and future-proof their operations. For EPCR, it’s a long-overdue leap into a more agile and integrated era.
