Vodacom URC fixtures For 2025/26 confirmed
The full Vodacom United Rugby Championship fixture list for the 2025/26 season has been officially released, with the DHL Stormers kicking off their campaign at home against Irish outfit Leinster.
DHL Stadium will play host to the first match of the new season on Friday, 26 September, with Welsh side Ospreys visiting for another Friday night clash in Round Two the following week.
The DHL Stormers will then go on a three-week tour to Wales and Italy ahead of the November international break.
The height of Summer will once again see a number of big South African derbies hosted in Cape Town with the Emirates Lions (20 December), Vodacom Bulls (3 January) and Hollywoodbets Sharks (24 January) all set to visit DHL Stadium.
As is now the norm, Vodacom URC supporters across the globe can download fixtures directly to their devices via the Ecal URC 25/26 calendar, ensuring they never miss a kick-off — no matter their time zone. (Note: updates may take up to an hour to sync.)
The 2025/26 season promises a packed calendar of action, including festive derby rounds which are once again locked in for Rounds 7, 8 and 9, while the Race to the Eight steps up from Round 13 as teams compete for Play-Off places and Investec Champions Cup qualification.
In addition, a range of themed rounds such as Kids Round, Origin Round, and Unity Round will be confirmed in the coming weeks, enhancing the match-day experience for fans and clubs alike.
The format of the competition remains unchanged, with the top eight teams progressing to the Play-Offs beginning May 29. The Semi-Finals will be played on June 6, followed by the Grand Final on June 20 to crown the 2025/26 champions.
Martin Anayi, United Rugby Championship CEO, said: “Advance planning is critical to the success of the United Rugby Championship and it is fantastic that we have continued to raise the bar in publishing our fixtures as early as possible.
“For clubs and fans, planning their weekends and knowing where their teams are playing so far ahead of time makes a big difference. The drama and excitement of the Vodacom URC is matched by the complexity of putting all of the pieces of the fixture list together but it is made much easier thanks to the support of our teams and broadcasters to assist us in this process.
“For the moment, we look forward to the Play-Offs that kick off next week after another regular season full of surprises. The Race to the Eight provided huge jeopardy and now we move into the ultimate win or go home stage of the competition which will lift the intensity up to another level.”
DHL Stormers fixtures
Round 1
Friday, September 26 at 19h00
vs Leinster (DHL Stadium)
Round 2
Friday, October 3 at 19h00
vs Ospreys (DHL Stadium)
Round 3
Friday, October 10 at 20h45
vs Scarlets (Parc Y Scarlets)
Round 4
Saturday, October 18 at 20h45
vs Zebre Parma (Stadio Lanfranchi)
Round 5
Saturday, October 25 at 18h30
vs Benetton (Stadio Monigo)
Round 6
Saturday, November 29 at 19h30
vs Munster (Thomond Park)
Round 7
Saturday, December 20 at 15h30
vs Emirates Lions (DHL Stadium)
Round 8
Date: TBC
vs Vodacom Bulls (Loftus Versfeld)
Round 9
Saturday, January 3 at 18h00
vs Vodacom Bulls (DHL Stadium)
Round 10
Saturday January 24 at 19h30
vs Hollywoodbets Sharks (DHL Stadium)
Round 11
Saturday, January 31 at 17h00
vsHollywoodbets Sharks (Hollywoodbets Kings Park)
Round 12
Saturday, February 28 at 14h30
vs Emirates Lions (Emirates Airline Park)
Round 13
Saturday, March 21 at 19h30
vs Dragons (TBC)
Round 14
Saturday, March 28 at 19h00
vs Edinburgh (DHL Stadium)
Round 15
Saturday, April 18 at 18h15
vs Connacht (DHL Stadium)
Round 16
Saturday, April 25 at 18h30
vs Glasgow Warriors (DHL Stadium)
Round 17
Friday, May 8 at 20h45
vs Ulster (Ulster Rugby Stadium)
Round 18
Friday, May 18 at 20h45
vs Cardiff (Cardiff Arms Park)
Additional Information for the 2025/26 Season
Touring Windows
– Multi-game tours can take place between Rounds 1–5 and Rounds 13–18.
– Single-game tours are scheduled in Rounds 6 and 10, aligning with EPCR windows.
Season Schedule
Round 1: September 26/27
Round 2: October 3/4
Round 3: October 10/11
Round 4: October 17/18
Round 5: October 24/25
Round 6: November 28/29
Round 7 (Festive Derbies): December 19/20
Round 8 (Festive Derbies): December 26/27
Round 9 (Festive Derbies): January 2/3
Round 10: January 23/24
Round 11: January 30/31
Round 12: February 27/28
Round 13: March 20/21
Round 14: March 27/28
Round 15: April 17/18
Round 16: April 24/25
Round 17: May 8/9
Round 18: May 15/16
Play-Off Schedule
Quarter-Finals: May 29/30
Semi-Finals: June 6/7
Grand Final: June 20
