Leaders of European club rugby’s premier tournament are working toward reinstating an October commencement following the current season’s December start. The contemplated change addresses widespread feedback from coaching staff and club management favoring earlier competition dates that precede November’s international commitments.
Though contractual arrangements technically preserve the existing structure until 2030, practical considerations are prompting potential calendar revisions. Beginning the tournament earlier would allow clubs to utilize their best players before autumn international duty, potentially generating stronger opening-round engagement from supporters encountering top-quality lineups.
Tournament administrators have mounted a strong defense of the current 24-participant, four-group format despite persistent criticism. They highlight remarkable audience development, including television viewership that has doubled across six years and total venue attendance climbing by 50 percent to approximately 1.5 million during that period.
Chief executive Jacques Raynaud confronted various operational controversies, including squad rotation for difficult away encounters, logistical challenges with South African team involvement, and advancement scenarios permitting teams with predominantly losing records to reach knockout phases. Despite these issues, he argues the format successfully maintains competitive tension while generating robust revenue from broadcasters, corporate partners, and host municipalities.
Strategic planning discussions include whether to schedule consecutive October weekends or adopt a distributed approach with single rounds in October and December. Raynaud emphasized calendar consistency to prevent confusion during World Cup cycles that alter traditional schedules. Proposed improvements also include expanding the window between elimination rounds to facilitate ticket sales and supporter travel arrangements.