OTT service DAZN has acquired exclusive media rights to the top two tiers of European club rugby union in six of its markets.

DAZN will stream Champions Cup and Challenge Cup matches in: Canada; Japan; Italy; and Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The agreement is for four seasons, from 2018-19 to 2021-22.

Both competitions are organised and run by European Professional Club Rugby. In each of its markets, DAZN will show more than 70 EPCR matches per season live and on-demand. The 2018-19 season begins on October 12.

The agreement was struck by the RDA agency, which distributes Champions Cup and Challenge Cup media rights globally, excluding the UK, Ireland, France and the US.

DAZN held EPCR rights in the previous cycle in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and Japan – Canada and Italy are new EPCR markets for the streaming service. Sports broadcaster Eurosport showed EPCR rights in Italy in 2017-18, while telco Rogers held rights in Canada.