Nations Championship to launch Global Rugby Era in 2026

by Matthew Wood Wednesday 14 January 2026

International rugby will enter a new phase in July 2026 with the launch of the Nations Championship, a major global tournament created through a joint venture between Six Nations Rugby and SANZAAR.

The biennial competition is designed to bring sustained context, competitive edge, and clarity to the international calendar outside of Rugby World Cups.

The tournament, approved by the World Rugby Council in 2023, will feature 12 of the world’s leading international teams split into two groups of six, representing the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

The Northern group will consist of the Six Nations teams, while the Southern group will include the SANZAAR nations along with invited teams Japan and Fiji.

The Nations Championship will unfold across two international windows. In July 2026, Northern Hemisphere teams will travel south to contest three cross-hemisphere fixtures, with each side facing a different opponent.

The opening round will feature high-profile matchups including New Zealand against France, Australia versus Ireland, and South Africa hosting England.

The return fixtures will take place in November, when Southern Hemisphere teams tour north to complete the round-robin phase. Results across both windows will determine standings within each hemisphere group and set the matchups for the Finals Weekend.

The inaugural Finals Weekend will be staged at Allianz Stadium in London, featuring three days of double-header matches. The top-ranked team from each hemisphere group will meet in the final to crown the first Nations Championship winner, while all matches will also contribute to deciding which hemisphere claims overall supremacy.

Six Nations Rugby chief executive Tom Harrison said the competition represents a significant shift in how international rugby is structured, with the aim of delivering greater global relevance, sustained rivalries, and a clear pathway to determining the sport’s leading nations between World Cups.

“The Nations Championship has the power to redefine the future of rugby, and the partnership between Six Nations Rugby and SANZAAR signals a tectonic shift in the sport.

"Rugby’s strongest nations have collaborated with a clear vision to grow the game, by challenging traditional ways of operating to create a tournament structure with genuine global relevance, which will unlock the true value of the sport.”

Representing the Northern Hemisphere: