Heineken Cup organisers, ERC, have announced that the 12th Heineken Cup final on the weekend of 19 / 20 May, 2007 will be staged at Twickenham.
The RFU and Twickenham Stadium won the bid to host the worlds biggest club rugby final which will return to London for the third time, previously hosting the final in 2000 and 2004, with English sides carrying off the silverware on both occasions.
Northampton Saints pipped Munster 9-8 in the fifth final on 27 May, 2000 and London Wasps took the title from Toulouse, 27-20, on 23 May, 2004.
ERC and the RFU have confirmed that tickets for the London 07 Heineken Cup final at the Twickenham Stadium are on sale today from Ticketmaster (0870 9020000 or http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/section) and fans are encouraged to purchase early to avoid disappointment.
Having sold-out for our 11th final at Cardiffs Millennium Stadium this year, we are aiming to fill the 82,000 seats at the new Twickenham and set a new record for the tournament said ERC Chief Executive, Derek McGrath
The 12th Heineken Cup will kick-off next season on the weekend of 20 / 21 / 22 October 2006
Facts and Figures
The redevelopment of the South Stand at Twickenham means the ground will have a capacity of 82,000 for the final over 7,000 more than the current tournament record attendance for a final set when Leicester Tigers beat Munster at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in 2002.
The Twickenham final in 2000 saw 68,441 fans go through the turnstiles with 73,057 attending the thrilling 2004 final.
The 10 Heineken Cup finals have been staged at seven grounds Cardiff Arms Park (1996 and 1997), Stade Lescure (1998), Lansdowne Road (1999 and 2003), Twickenham (2000 and 2004), Parc des Princes (2001), Millennium Stadium (2002 & 2006) and Murrayfield (2005).
England will have six clubs battling to win a place in the prestigious cup final on home soil while Biarritz Olympique secured an additional seventh place for France as a result of their semi-final win over Bath Rugby last Saturday.
Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup Schedule 2006 / 2007
ROUND 1: 20 / 21 / 22 October, 2006
ROUND 2: 27 / 28 / 29 October, 2006
ROUND 3: 8 / 9 / 10 December, 2006
ROUND 4: 15 / 16 / 17 December, 2006
ROUND 5: 12 / 13 / 14 January, 2007
ROUND 6: 19 / 20 / 21 January, 2007
QUARTER-FINALS: 30 / 31 March / 1 April, 2007
SEMI-FINALS: 20 / 21 / 22 April, 2007
HEINEKEN CUP AND EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP FINALS: 18 / 19 / 20 May, 2007
Heineken Cup 2006 / 2007 Qualification
France - 7 (Top 14 ranking) *
England 6 (Guinness Premiership ranking / Powergen Cup Winner London Wasps / European Challenge Cup winner).
Ireland - 3 (Celtic League ranking).
Wales - 3 (Celtic League ranking).
Scotland - 2 (Celtic League ranking).
Italy - 2 (Super 10 ranking).
*The 23rd place, which is allocated to the most successful nation between England, France and Italy in the previous seasons tournament will go to France as Biarritz Olympique have reached the final against Irish side Munster.
Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Italy will be in contention for the 24th spot via the Celtic League and Super 10. That final Heineken Cup place will go to the winners of a play-off between the highest placed non-Heineken Cup qualifying team from Ireland, Scotland or Wales in the 2005 / 2006 Celtic League and the losing Italian semi-finalist which finished highest in the 2005 / 2006 Super 10.