For the second tier competition run by World Rugby, see World Rugby Nations Cup (2026–).

Nations Championship
Upcoming season or competition:
Current sports event 2026 Nations Championship
Sport Rugby union
Founded 2023; 3 years ago (2023)
First season 2026; 0 years ago (2026)
No. of teams 12
Broadcasters List of broadcasters
Nations Championship logo displayed on a pitchside flag during the Wales–Fiji match

The Nations Championship is a biennial international men's rugby union competition, which is scheduled to take place in the mid-year and end-of-year international windows in even-numbered years. The inaugural edition began in 2026.[1]

Format

The competition consists of twelve teams, involving the current Six Nations (England, France, Italy, Ireland, Scotland and Wales) and SANZAAR (Argentina, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand) unions, in addition to two invited unions, Fiji and Japan.[2] The competition is scheduled to be held in even-numbered years, as these are the years when there is no British & Irish Lions tour or Rugby World Cup, both of which are prestigious and of commercial importance to the sport.[3]

The format of the competition includes a "European Conference", consisting of the Six Nations unions, and a "SANZAAR and Pacific Conference" comprising the four SANZAAR nations and the two invited unions (Japan and Fiji). Each team will play the six nations in the opposing conference across the July and November test windows, following which each team will play their equivalent-placed finisher in the opposing hemisphere, with a grand final between the top ranked finishers of each conference to be played at the end of the November window to decide the tournament champion.[4]

World Rugby Nations Cup

Main article: World Rugby Nations Cup (2026–)

A second competition, run by World Rugby, is taking place concurrently and consists of twelve further teams, with promotion and relegation between the divisions commencing from the start of the third edition in 2030.

Teams

With no promotion and relegation in the first two editions, the following teams will contest the first three editions.

Nations Championship
Team Competition Region
Northern Hemisphere
 England Six Nations Championship Europe
 France Six Nations Championship Europe
 Ireland Six Nations Championship Europe
 Italy Six Nations Championship Europe
 Scotland Six Nations Championship Europe
 Wales Six Nations Championship Europe
Southern Hemisphere
 Argentina The Rugby Championship South America
 Australia The Rugby Championship Oceania
 Fiji Pacific Nations Cup Oceania
 Japan[a] Pacific Nations Cup Asia
 New Zealand The Rugby Championship Oceania
 South Africa The Rugby Championship Africa

Results

Ed. Year Finals host First place final Third place final Minor placements
Champion Score Runner‑up Third Score Fourth 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th
1 2026 England — —

Qualification results

Team
2026
2028
2030		 Years
 Argentina TBD TBD TBD 3
 Australia TBD TBD TBD 3
 England TBD TBD TBD 3
 Fiji TBD TBD TBD 3
 France TBD TBD TBD 3
 Ireland TBD TBD TBD 3
 Italy TBD TBD TBD 3
 Japan TBD TBD TBD 3
 New Zealand TBD TBD TBD 3
 Scotland TBD TBD TBD 3
 South Africa TBD TBD TBD 3
 Wales TBD TBD TBD 3
Total 12 12 12 3

Criticism

The creation of the Nations Championship has received criticism for 'ring-fencing' smaller nations outside elite competition and narrowing their opportunities to play against top nations.[7] It has also been criticised for potentially devaluing the Rugby World Cup.[8] World Rugby's Chief Executive Alan Gilpin has defended against this criticism by stating “the suggestions that this just makes the rich richer are misplaced. This creates a better landscape” whilst adding that there will be “50% guaranteed more crossover fixtures” in non-tournament years.[9]

Broadcasting rights

Broadcasters include:

Territory Rights holder Ref.
Asia Premier Sports
 Canada
 Australia
  • Nine[b]
  • Stan Sport
 [10][11]
 Austria ProSiebenSat.1 Media
 Germany
 Switzerland
Czechia Nova Sport
 Slovakia
 Estonia Go3 Sport
 Latvia
 Lithuania
 France TF1 [12][13]
 Ireland Virgin Media Television [14][15]
 Italy Sky Italia [16]
 Japan Wowow [17]
Latin America ESPN
MENA Starzplay
 Netherlands Ziggo Sport
 New Zealand Sky Sport [18][19]
Pacific FBC
 Portugal Sport TV
 Romania Digi Sport
 Spain Movistar Plus+
Sub-saharan Africa SuperSport
 United Kingdom ITV (English)[c] [20]
S4C (Welsh)[d]
 United States RugbyPass

See also

  • WXV Global Series

Notes

  1. ^ Although Japan is not in the Southern Hemisphere, it is grouped with other Pacific Ocean nations.[5][6]
  2. ^ All Australia matches played on Australian soil. (See also § Australian anti-siphoning laws).
  3. ^ ITV1 and ITV4 in England, Wales, Southern Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and Channel Islands; STV in Scotland.
  4. ^ Wales matches only.

References

  1. ^ "Historic rugby calendar reform to supercharge reach and competitiveness" (Press release). World Rugby. 23 October 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  2. ^ Bendon, Philip (24 October 2023). "World Rugby Approves New Global Rugby Tournament From 2026". Flo Rugby. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  3. ^ "The Rugby Nations Championship: Everything You Need To Know". keithprowse.co.uk. 11 December 2023.
  4. ^ Bruce, Sam (25 October 2023). "FAQs: Explaining rugby's Nations Championship and a 24-team World Cup". ESPN. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  5. ^ "Hemispheres will collide when the Nations Championship debuts in 2026". super.rugby. SANZAAR. 23 November 2025. Archived from the original on 15 January 2026.
  6. ^ "Japan to Participate in Nations Championship in 2026, 2028 and 2030". en.rugby-japan.jp. Japan Rugby Football Union. 17 November 2025. Archived from the original on 15 January 2026.
  7. ^ Coles, Ben (25 October 2023). "New Nations Championship 'a slap in the face' to smaller rugby nations". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  8. ^ Jones, Stephen (28 October 2023). "Nations Cup is a disgraceful swindle designed to protect elite". The Times. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  9. ^ Kitson, Robert (24 October 2023). "World Rugby's global calendar overhaul labelled 'stitch-up' by smaller nations". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  10. ^ Payten, Iain (8 April 2025). "Rugby Australia secures $65m uplift in new broadcast deal with Nine". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment. Archived from the original on 8 April 2025.
  11. ^ Williamson, Nathan (12 May 2025). "Nine Network, Stan confirmed as host broadcasters for Rugby World Cups until 2029". Rugby.com.au.
  12. ^ "Rugby : TF1 diffusera le Mondial 2027 et les éditions 2026 et 2028 de la Coupe des Nations" [Rugby: TF1 to broadcast the 2027 World Cup and the 2026 and 2028 editions of the Nations Cup]. Le Parisien (in French). LVMH. 10 October 2025. Archived from the original on 10 November 2025.
  13. ^ Sim, Josh (14 October 2025). "TF1 secures 2027 Rugby World Cup and Nations Championship rights". SportsPro.
  14. ^ Cunningham, Barry (4 February 2026). "Virgin Media Television Becomes Exclusive Free-To-Air Home Of Nations Championship". irishrugby.ie. Irish Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  15. ^ Cameron, Ian (5 February 2026). "'Landmark': Virgin Media win Irish rights to Nations Championship". RugbyPass. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  16. ^ "Sky ha acquisito i diritti di trasmissione di due grandi tornei di rugby per il 2026: il "Guiness Men's Six Nations" e il "National Championship"" [Sky has acquired the broadcast rights to two major rugby tournaments for 2026: the Guinness Men's Six Nations and the National Championship]. Il Messaggero (in Italian). Caltagirone Editore. 21 November 2025. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  17. ^ "ネーションズチャンピオンシップ 2026年・2028年・2030年 日本代表出場決定のお知らせ" [Announcement of Japan's participation in the Nations Championship 2026, 2028, and 2030]. rugby-japan.jp (in Japanese). Japan Rugby Football Union. 17 November 2025.
  18. ^ "NZ Rugby and Sky seal new broadcast deal with TVNZ". Radio New Zealand. 22 August 2025. Archived from the original on 23 August 2025.
  19. ^ "Sky buys All Blacks, Super Rugby TV rights until 2030; TVNZ scoops NPC games". The New Zealand Herald. New Zealand Media and Entertainment. 22 August 2025. Archived from the original on 31 August 2025.
  20. ^ "Nations Championship statement partnership with ITV cements the UK's most comprehensive free-to-air access to international rugby in the sport's history". ITV. 26 January 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)