Marseille to host 2020 European club finals

The EPCR has announced that the city of Marseille will host the 2020 Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup finals.

The two showpiece matches in the European club rugby calendar will be played at the iconic Stade de Marseille on 22 and 23 May 2020.  

Following a competitive tender process conducted in conjunction with The Sports Consultancy, EPCR’s Board awarded the prestigious weekend festival to Marseille, whose impressive bid was supported by AREMA, Ville de Marseille, Region Sud and Olympique de Marseille and in just under two years’ time, the atmospheric destination on the Cote d’Azur will become the fourth French city along with Bordeaux, Paris and Lyon to stage a European Cup final.   

Marseille was previously in the European club spotlight when the city staged the 2010 Challenge Cup decider between the Cardiff Blues and RC Toulon, however, 2020 will mark the first occasion that the 67,000-capacity stadium hosts the final of the tournament which is widely regarded as The One to Win.  

Commenting on the announcement, EPCR Director General, Vincent Gaillard, said: “While France is a traditional stronghold of the great game of rugby, a European finals weekend in the city of Marseille will be a whole new experience both for local fans and for our loyal supporters who travel in their tens of thousands year after year.  

“Having made history in Bilbao last season, and with all roads leading to Newcastle this season, we are certain that Marseille and the state-of-the art Stade de Marseille will deliver a truly memorable weekend on the Cote d’Azur as we celebrate the European Cup’s 25th anniversary.”   

Since its opening in 1937, the home of French Ligue 1 club, Olympique de Marseille, has undergone several redevelopments. After hosting matches at the 1998 FIFA World Cup and 2007 Rugby World Cup, the stadium enhanced its reputation as a high-class venue with a renovation in 2014 ahead of UEFA EURO 2016. Since then, there have been two Champions Cup semi-finals at the Stade de Marseille and around 30 other major events including a match in the Six Nations Championship.  

So far, six countries – England, France, Ireland, Scotland, Spain and Wales – have staged European club finals, and tickets for this season’s Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup showpiece matches at St James’ Park, Newcastle on 10 and 11 May 2019 are selling fast on epcrugby.com  

EUROPEAN CUP FINALS IN FRANCE

1998 Bath Rugby 19 Brive 18 – Stade Lescure, Bordeaux
2001 Leicester Tigers 34 Stade Francais Paris 30 – Parc des Princes
2010 Toulouse 21 Biarritz Olympique 19 – Stade de France
2016 Saracens 21 Racing 92 6 – Grand Stade de Lyon 

Image and Story via: epcrugby