Enjoying the best rugby in San Sebastián will be within reach this coming June. In fact, the city will host the 100 Rugby France Bleu Pays Basque. A unique event in which the four best teams from the French National Rugby League (LNR) will come head to head. The winners will play in the final in Paris the following week.
Rugby in San Sebastián. Everything you need to know
Talks between the San Sebastián Town Hall, the Royal Society and the LNR have been successful. It will be the second time that one of these decisive rounds is held in Spain. In 2016, Barcelona held a final in its Camp Nou stadium. We reveal some of the details about the most important information on these matches.
Where the competition is held
The two semi-finals will be played in the Reale Arena stadium. These facilities are the biggest in the city for playing rugby. It can hold up to 40,000 spectators. The stadium has a long history behind it. In fact, it was previously known as Anoeta, one of the country’s most popular pitches. Apart from football, this is the first event to take place since the stadium was remodelled in 2021.
It’s still too early to know which four teams will face each other at the two qualifying rounds. However, there are clear favourites that may very likely reach this stage of the competition. The team that currently stands out most is Toulouse. It has already won this competition 21 times, the last of which was in 2021. Stade Français is also ranking highly. This is a highly experienced team with fantastic candidates to win the league.
At a lower level, are the teams for Lyon, La Rochelle and Bayonne, which is very close to the Spanish border. Any of these will be a tough opponent if they win the qualifying round for the semi-finals.
When are the matches held in San Sebastián
The official times have not yet been released for either event. What we can confirm is that the first semi-final will take place in the afternoon of Friday 9th of June. The second match will be held a day later, on Saturday 10th of June. However, we recommend going to the Reale Arena ahead of time. The stadium doors will open two hours before each match. As a big turnout is expected, you’ll need to be there some time beforehand so that people can enter in an orderly fashion.
Ticket sales to see the rugby in San Sebastián
You can get your tickets to either of the two matches through the LNR official website. Ticket prices for each match start from €35 for the cheapest tickets and go up to €120. There are also special packs with outstanding seats on the field for a higher price. These start from €375 per match in the corner areas. VIP box seats go up to €550 each.
Donostia is filling up with the French rugby championship
San Sebastián, also known as Donostia, is brimming over with this competition and hotel occupancy is almost full at the moment. At least, in terms of holiday accommodation for the weekend from 9th to 11th of June. In fact, lots of French fans have already made their bookings. Ever since San Sebastián was named the host for this event.
However, there are still some free places. According to the information available, practically 97% of rooms are booked. Also, the ones that are still available are very expensive, much more so than any other weekend.
The best solution is to go for an apartment. In most establishments, staying for the semi-finals requires a minimum three- or four-night booking. We reveal some of the options we think are interesting:
- Kresala. This apartment can take up to four people and has two rooms. It’s also equipped with all the services and maximum features.
- Marrubi. This is a small apartment for up to three people. It’s a cheaper option, but just as practical as the above option. It’s very close to the beach.
Thinking about going to see the rugby in San Sebastián? The experience is worth it and you’ll enjoy some of most decisive matches in Europe’s best rugby league. Make a booking on our website as soon as you can as accommodation places are selling out and there soon won’t be anything available. Don’t wait any longer!
