# Rugby champions Northampton to start season vs Newcastle

English Premiership champions Northampton Saints will face Newcastle Falcons in the opening match of the 2025-26 season. The fixture, announced by the league, marks the start of the campaign for both teams and sets the defending champions' first test.

**Importance:** 2/5

## Sources

### Sports
- [BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/c2k7xkpqpexo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss) — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 07:35:32 GMT