World Rugby has officially launched the Nations Championship which will kick-off in July 2026. The new tournament will see the 12 biggest rugby playing nations collide with each other which will culminate in a new Finals Weekend, which will be hosted at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, London in November next year. The Nations Championship will feature all Six Nations Rugby teams representing the northern hemisphere (England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales) and taking on the SANZAAR nations (Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa) plus two invitational teams (Japan and Fiji), competing on behalf of the southern hemisphere.
“The Nations Championship will transform the existing international windows in July and November, which means every Test will now count for more than just bragging rights and world ranking points.This new competition changes the global game as we know it, and from SA Rugby and the Springboks’ side, we are excited about what the future holds.Kicking off with Tests against England, Scotland and Wales will provide the Boks with three tough Tests and just the right preparation for Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry against the All Blacks, which follows in August. Scotland’s last visit to South Africa was in 2014, England haven’t been here since 2018, and Wales last came to us in 2022, so we can’t wait to welcome them back,” said Oberholzer.
According to a statement by World Rugby, the Springboks will host England (4 July), Scotland (11 July), and Wales (18 July) for the midyear Tests. For their return matches, the Boks will face Italy (weekend of 6-8 November), France (weekend of 13-15 November), and Ireland (21 November) in Europe next year to complete fixtures against all Six Nations teams.For the 2028 edition, the Nations Championship schedule will be reversed, with France, Ireland and Italy coming to South Africa, while the Boks will face England, Scotland, and Wales in the United Kingdom.The CEO of SA Rugby Rian Oberholzer has welcomed the new tournament, which is a joint venture between SANZAAR and Six Nations Rugby.
