The all-new World Rugby Nations Championship is almost upon us, as the international rugby calendar undergoes a complete upheaval.
The new Nations Championship, will see teams from the Northern and Southern Hemisphere's compete to be crowned as the world's best.
England, France, Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Italy will represent the North, facing off against New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, Argentina, Japan and Fiji, who are the Southern sides competing.
World Rugby Nations Championship Schedule
The inaugural edition of the World Rugby Nations Championship will take place across three sections: the Southern Hemisphere Series, Northern Hemisphere Series and Finals Weekend.
The Southern Hemisphere Series took places on three consecutive Saturdays between 4th and the 18th July, while the Northern Hemisphere Series will take place across three consecutive weekends, starting on 6th November and culminating in a final round of fixtures in 21st November 2026.
The Finals Weekend will take place immediately after the Northern Hemisphere Series, with six matches scheduled between Friday 27th and Sunday 29th November 2026.
World Rugby Nations Championship Fixtures
Southern Hemisphere Series - July 2026
Round 1 - Saturday 4th July
- 08:10 - New Zealand 34-32 France (One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch)
- 09:40 - Japan 27-10 Italy (Tokyo Chichibunomiya Stadium, Tokyo)
- 11:10 - Australia 31-33 Ireland (Allianz Stadium, Sydney)
- 14:10 - Fiji 24-39 Wales (Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales)
- 16:40 - South Africa 45-21 England (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)
- 20:10 - Argentina 38-47 Scotland (Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Cordoba)
Round 2 - Saturday 11th July
- 06:10 - New Zealand 47-17 Italy (Hnry Stadium, Wellington)
- 08:40 - Australia 26-42 France (suncorp Stadium, Brisbane)
- 11:10 - Japan 20-36 Ireland (McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, Australia)
- 14:10 - Fiji 8-73 England (Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, England)
- 16:40 - South Africa 42-28 Scotland (Loftus Versfield, Pretoria)
- 20:10 - Argentina 35-21 Wales (Estadio San Juan de Bicentenario)
Round 3 - Saturday 18th July
- 08:10 - New Zealand 40-21 Ireland (Eden Park, Auckland)
- 09:40 - Japan 15-42 France (Tokyo Nation Stadium, Tokyo)
- 11:10 - Australia 57-10 Italy (HBF Park, Perth)
- 14:10 - Fiji 17-33 Scotland (Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Scotland)
- 16:40 - South Africa 43-0 Wales (Kings Park, Durban)
- 20:10 - Argentina 24-31 England (Estadio Unico Madre de Cuidades, Santiago del Estero)
Northern Hemisphere Series - November 2026
Round 4 - Friday 6th - Sunday 8th November
Friday 6th:
- 20:10 - Ireland v Argentina (Aviva Stadium, Dublin)
Saturday 7th:
- 11:40 - Italy v South Africa (Allianz Stadium, Turin)
- 14:10 - Scotland v New Zealand (Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh)
- 16:40 - Wales v Japan (Principality Stadium, Cardiff)
- 21:10 - France v Fiji (Groupama Stadium, Lyon)
Sunday 8th:
- 15:10 - England v Australia (Allianz Stadium, Twickenham)
Round 5 - Friday 13th - Sunday 15th November
Friday 13th:
- 20:10 - France v South Africa (Stade de France, Paris)
Saturday 14th:
- 11:40 - Italy v Argentina (Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genova)
- 14:10 - Wales v New Zealand (Principality Stadium, Cardiff)
- 16:40 - England v Japan (Allianz Stadium, Twickenham)
- 20:10 - Ireland v Fiji (Aviva Stadium, Dublin)
Sunday 15:
- 15:10 - Scotland v Australia (Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh)
Round 6 - Saturday 21st November
- 14:10 - England v New Zealand (Allianz Stadium, Twickenham)
- 14:10 - Scotland v Japan (Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh)
- 16:40 - Ireland v South Africa (Aviva Stadium, Dublin)
- 16:40 - Italy v Fiji (Bluenergy Stadium, Udine)
- 20:10 - France v Argentina (Stade de France, Paris)
- 20:10 - Wales v Australia (Principality Stadium, Cardiff)
Finals Weekend - Friday 27th - Sunday 29th November 2026
Friday 27th:
- TBC - North 6 v South 6 (Allianz Stadium, Twickenham)
- TBC - North 3 v South 3 (Allianz Stadium, Twickenham)
Saturday 28th:
- TBC - North 5 v South 5 (Allianz Stadium, Twickenham)
- TBC - North 2 v South 2 (Allianz Stadium, Twickenham)
Sunday 29th:
- TBC - North 4 v South 4 (Allianz Stadium, Twickenham)
- TBC - North 1 v South 1 (Allianz Stadium, Twickenham)
*All times BST (UTC+1)
Standings
Nothern Hemisphere
Team | Played | Won | Lost | Points Diff | Points |
1. France | 3 | 2 | 1 | +44 | 12 |
2. Scotland | 3 | 2 | 1 | +11 | 11 |
3. England | 3 | 2 | 1 | +48 | 10 |
4. Ireland | 3 | 2 | 1 | -1 | 10 |
5. Wales | 3 | 1 | 2 | -42 | 5 |
6. italy | 3 | 0 | 3 | -94 | 0 |
Southern Hemisphere
Team | Played | Won | Lost | Points Diff | Points |
1. South Africa | 3 | 3 | 0 | +81 | 15 |
2. New Zealand | 3 | 3 | 0 | +51 | 15 |
3. Australia | 3 | 1 | 2 | +29 | 8 |
4. Argentina | 3 | 1 | 2 | -2 | 7 |
5. Japan | 3 | 1 | 2 | -26 | 4 |
6. Fiji | 3 | 0 | 3 | -96 | 0 |
Correct as of end of round three.
