GEORGE – The Ebrahim Patel Community Cup (EPCC) 2026 has secured a landmark broadcasting agreement with SABC Sport and Heritage Broadcasting Network, marking a significant milestone for community rugby in South Africa ahead of the tournament’s April staging.
The broadcasting partnership represents a breakthrough moment for grassroots rugby, with the tournament now set to receive comprehensive national coverage including live match broadcasts, highlights packages, player features and community storytelling segments across television and digital platforms.
“This partnership represents a breakthrough for community rugby. Our players now have a national platform and our clubs will gain meaningful exposure that supports long-term sustainability,” said tournament director Romano Lekay.
The agreement firmly establishes EPCC as one of South Africa’s premier community rugby showcases, providing unprecedented visibility for participating clubs and players.
Blanco United completes field
Tournament organisers have also confirmed Blanco United RFC as the eighth and final participating club, completing the competitive field for the 2026 edition.
The George-based club, which boasts deep community roots, strengthens local representation while adding competitive depth to the tournament lineup. “Blanco United embodies the spirit and resilience of community rugby. Their inclusion strengthens the tournament both competitively and locally,” Lekay added.
The organising committee has clarified that Crusaders RFC withdrew from EPCC 2026 due to a commercial conflict with existing tournament sponsorship agreements.
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The EPCC operates under strict category exclusivity provisions designed to protect tournament sponsors throughout the event duration. While participating clubs may display one local sponsor on playing kit, such sponsorship cannot conflict with official tournament partners.
The organisers cited an example where a tournament’s exclusive banking sponsor would prevent competing financial institutions from displaying branding during matches, protecting the commercial integrity of existing agreements.
These principles are applied consistently across all participating clubs to safeguard the tournament’s commercial sustainability and development objectives.
Launch date nears
The official EPCC 2026 launch will take place at Fancourt Luxury Golf Estate in George on Thursday 26 February. It will feature a live tournament draw, team kit reveals, main sponsor announcement and broadcast partnership showcase.
The milestone event signals the beginning of what organisers promise will be the most impactful EPCC edition to date.
The tournament will be held over the Easter Weekend, from Thursday 2 to Monday 6 April.
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