The 2025-2026 Top 14 final will pit Montpellier Hérault Rugby against Stade Toulousain. The match is scheduled for Saturday, June 27, at 21:00 PM at the Stade de France. The game will feature the top two teams from the regular season: Toulouse, who finished first after 26 rounds, and Montpellier, who finished second.
Montpellier stuns Paris and reaches the final
Montpellier secured their place in the final by defeating Stade Français Paris in the semi-final on Saturday, June 20th, in Marseille. Final score: 25-15. In a tight, tense, and closely contested match, Montpellier built their qualification with clinical finishing, discipline in key moments, and better management of the second half. The Parisians scored two tries, but Montpellier maintained control of the scoreboard thanks to their accurate kicking. Hugo Domingo Miotti played a significant role in the scoreline before a penalty from Léo Coly in the 72nd minute definitively sealed the victory. Stade Français, who enjoyed a solid regular season finishing in third place, thus fall short of the final. For Montpellier, this qualification marks a return to the forefront of French rugby. The club from the Hérault region will contest its first Top 14 final since 2022. That year, Montpellier won the first Brennus Shield in its history against Castres.
Toulouse crushes Racing and will defend its title
Stade Toulousain kicked off the semi-final weekend with a dominant performance against Racing 92. The Red and Blacks secured another 71-17 victory on Friday, also in Marseille. Toulouse scored ten tries and qualified comfortably for another final. This win confirms the club's central position in the championship. Toulouse are the three-time defending French champions, having won in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The club will contest its fourth consecutive Top 14 final and will be aiming for another Brennus Shield. Finishing top of the regular season with 86 points, Stade Toulousain finished ahead of Montpellier, who came second with 82 points. The final will therefore pit the two most consistent teams of the season against each other.
A final between the reigning champion and the last club to have defeated them.
Toulouse has dominated French rugby for several seasons. Montpellier remains, to this day, the last club other than Toulouse to have won the Top 14, with their 2022 title. MHR arrives in the final after a stellar season built on consistency. Their run took them directly to the top of the standings, then all the way to Saint-Denis after a controlled semi-final against Stade Français. Toulouse arrives with a different status: that of the established champion, the defending champion, and the most decorated club in French rugby. Their resounding victory against Racing 92 confirmed their attacking prowess at the crucial moment of the season.
The Stade de France as the final arbiter
The final will be played on Saturday, June 27th at 21:00 PM at the Stade de France. The winner will lift the Brennus Shield and officially succeed Toulouse, who won the title in 2025. For Montpellier, the goal will be to secure a second national title after their victory in 2022. For Toulouse, it will be about extending a historic streak and adding another title to an already record-breaking record.
