The Heineken Champions Cup sees 24 elite clubs, including nine previous European champions, go head-to-head in two pools of 12.

Meanwhile, the new-look EPCR Challenge Cup features 15 clubs competing in three pools, among them two three-time European champions, Saracens and RC Toulon.

With the drama set to be broadcast in over 150 countries around the world, there are plenty of opportunities to tune in.

BT Sport will show all 48 Heineken Champions Cup pool stage games in the UK and Ireland, starting with the intriguing Pool A clash between 2000 winners Northampton Saints and three-time finalists Racing 92 at 20:00 (UK & Irish time) on Friday.

There is also free-to-air coverage of each round’s biggest matches by Channel 4 in the UK and Ireland, and by Virgin Media in Ireland, which includes Stade Toulousain’s Pool B opener against Cardiff Rugby at 13:00 on Saturday, as they seek to defend their Heineken Champions Cup title.

In addition, BT Sport will broadcast a selection of the Challenge Cup’s top fixtures including Gloucester Rugby’s trip to Lyon at 20:00 on Friday while S4C are kicking off their coverage on Saturday with the Pool B clash of USAP and the Dragons at Stade Aimé Giral.

Heineken Champions Cup worldwide broadcast coverage:

UK - BT Sport, Channel 4
Ireland - BT Sport, Virgin Media & Channel 4
France - beIN SPORTS & France Télévisions
Italy – Sky Italia
USA – NBC
Spain & Andorra – Telefonica
Germany, Switzerland & Austria – More Than Sports TV
Africa – SuperSport
New Zealand – Sky
Pacific Islands - Digicel
MENA, South-East Asia & Australia - beIN SPORTS
Latin America – ESPN
Caribbean – SportsMax
Portugal - Sport TV
Malta – GO

The 2021/22 Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup are both set to get under way this weekend, and there are a host of ways rugby fans can watch the action in both competitions.