Bilbao selected for 2018 Champions Cup final

Bilbao will host the 2018 Champions Cup, Challenge Cup and Continental Shield finals.

The San Mamés Stadium, which has a capacity of 53,289, has been selected as the host vent for the 2018 Champions Cup and Challenge Cup deciders, the first time the finals will take place outside of Europe's traditional rugby territories.

Meanwhile, St James' Park in Newcastle has been named as the host venue for the 2019 finals following a competitive tender process.

"We are very excited to be taking the best club rugby in the world to fans in what is largely a new market," EPCR chairman Simon Halliday said.

"Bilbao is an excellent destination which breaks new ground for our tournaments and we see this as a big step in the expansion of our sport across the continent. Fans have previously flocked to matches in Spain both in the European Cup and for last season's TOP 14 final, and they will be sure of a unique, atmospheric weekend in 2018.

"Newcastle's commitment to the bid also made it an easy decision to award them the finals in 2019, building on their significant experience of staging major sporting occasions including Rugby World Cup 2015 matches."

EPCR director general Vincent Gaillard added: "We had exceptional bids for the 2018 finals which is testimony to the transparent and detailed process that we have implemented.

"Bilbao is a state-of-the-art venue with a commitment to the financial and operational elements of our finals that will allow us to deliver outstanding rugby experiences in a new and exciting setting.

"Newcastle also gives us a top-class venue and a new city in England for the biggest matches in the European club game. To successfully engage with an unprecedented number of bidding cities over the last months shows the attractive proposition that our finals present and we see this a really positive sign for the future of European professional club rugby."