The landscape of men’s international rugby is set for a significant shake-up with the introduction of a new global competition designed to inject more meaning and excitement into the Test calendar. This innovative format aims to replace the traditional July tours and November Test series, offering a more cohesive and compelling international rugby experience.
Introducing the Nations Championship
The Nations Championship, officially announced during the 2023 Rugby World Cup, will be a biennial event. Its primary objective is to provide greater context and significance to the international fixtures, moving away from standalone matches towards a more integrated competition structure. At its core, the championship will feature the established powerhouses of the Six Nations and the Rugby Championship, augmented by the inclusion of Japan and Fiji, creating a formidable 12-team elite tier.
While the inaugural competition in 2026 will not feature promotion and relegation, plans are in place for this to be introduced in future editions, linked to a second-tier Nations Cup. This future prospect adds another layer of intrigue and aspiration for teams outside the top 12.
The 12 participating nations are:
- Northern Hemisphere:
- France
- Ireland
- Scotland
- Italy
- England
- Wales
- Southern Hemisphere:
- South Africa
- New Zealand
- Argentina
- Australia
- Fiji
- Japan
Competition Structure and Finals Weekend
The Nations Championship will be contested across two distinct phases: a series of pool matches played in July and November, followed by a high-stakes finals weekend.
Pool Matches:
Each of the 12 teams will play six matches in total, split evenly between the July and November Test windows. These fixtures will see the Six Nations teams competing against the Rugby Championship nations, along with Japan and Fiji. The results from these pool games will be crucial, as they will determine the seeding for the finals weekend.
Finals Weekend:
The culmination of the Nations Championship will be a spectacular finals weekend, scheduled to be held at Twickenham Stadium. This event will feature a series of six matches played over two days. The top-ranked teams from each of the two halves of the draw will face off for the championship title, with subsequent matches pitting teams against each other based on their overall rankings. This includes contests for the fifth, seventh, ninth, and eleventh places, ensuring every team has a meaningful fixture.
Beyond the Nations Championship trophy, a separate honour will be awarded to the hemisphere that wins the most matches across the finals weekend. Points are awarded for the finals matches, with the championship decider (1st vs 1st) being worth two points, and all other finals fixtures contributing one point to their respective hemisphere’s tally. It’s worth noting that the definition of “hemisphere” is applied loosely, with Japan included in the southern grouping and Fiji playing some of their home fixtures in the United Kingdom.
Viewing the Nations Championship
Fans in the United Kingdom will be able to follow all the action live on ITV, following a broadcasting deal struck to screen the competition.
Full Match Schedule
Here is a detailed breakdown of the fixtures for the inaugural Nations Championship:
Southern Hemisphere Series (July)
Round One – Saturday 4 July
- Japan vs Italy (kick off TBC, Tokyo)
- New Zealand vs France (8.10am BST, Christchurch)
- Australia vs Ireland (10.45am BST, Sydney)
- Fiji vs Wales (2.10pm BST, Cardiff)
- South Africa vs England (4.40pm BST, Johannesburg)
- Argentina vs Scotland (8pm BST, Cordoba)
Round Two – Saturday 11 July
- Japan vs Ireland (kick off TBC, location TBC but likely Gold Coast, Australia)
- New Zealand vs Italy (8.10am BST, Wellington)
- Australia vs France (10.45am BST, Brisbane)
- Fiji vs England (2.10pm BST, Liverpool)
- South Africa vs Scotland (4.40pm BST, Pretoria)
- Argentina vs Wales (8pm BST, San Juan)
Round Three – Saturday 18 July
- Japan vs Italy (kick off TBC, Tokyo)
- New Zealand vs Ireland (8.10am BST, Auckland)
- Australia vs Italy (10.45am BST, Perth)
- Fiji vs Scotland (2.10pm BST, Edinburgh)
- South Africa vs Wales (4.40pm BST, Durban)
- Argentina vs England (8pm BST, Santiago del Estero)
Northern Hemisphere Series (November)
Round Four – 6/7/8 November
- Friday 6 November: Ireland vs Argentina (8.10pm GMT, Dublin)
- Saturday 7 November: Italy vs South Africa (TBC, TBC); Scotland vs New Zealand (2.10pm GMT, Edinburgh)
- Time of France vs Fiji (location TBC) and Wales vs Japan (in Cardiff) TBC
- Sunday 8 November: England vs Australia (3.10pm GMT, Twickenham)
Round Five – 13/14/15 November
- Friday 13 November: France vs South Africa (8.10pm GMT, Paris)
- Saturday 14 November: Italy vs Argentina (TBC, TBC); Wales vs New Zealand (TBC, Cardiff); Ireland vs Fiji (TBC, Dublin); England vs Japan (4.40pm GMT, Twickenham)
- Sunday 15 November: Scotland vs Australia (3.10pm GMT, Edinburgh)
Round Six – 21 November
- France vs Argentina (TBC, Paris)
- Ireland vs South Africa (TBC, Dublin)
- Italy vs Fiji (TBC, TBC)
- Scotland vs Japan (2.10pm GMT, Edinburgh)
- Wales vs Australia (TBC, TBC)
- England vs New Zealand (2.10pm GMT, Twickenham)
Finals Weekend (27/28/29 November) – Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
Friday 27 November
- Eleventh place final (4.40pm GMT): Northern 6 vs Southern 6
- Fifth place final (8.10pm GMT): Northern 3 vs Southern 3
Saturday 28 November
- Ninth place final (1.10pm GMT): Northern 5 vs Southern 5
- Third place final (4.40pm GMT): Northern 2 vs Southern 2
Sunday 29 November
- Seventh place final (1.10pm GMT): Northern 4 vs Southern 4
- Nations Championship final (4.40pm GMT): Northern 1 vs Southern 1
This new championship promises a more engaging and structured international rugby calendar, offering consistent stakes and a clear narrative throughout the year.
