The Nations Championship, a brand new international rugby union competition first announced in 2023, kicks off this weekend, marking an innovative direction for the sport. England face a daunting opening match against South Africa at Ellis Park in Johannesburg, while New Zealand vs France, Australia vs Ireland, Argentina vs Scotland, Fiji vs Wales, and Japan vs Italy highlight the first round.
What is the Nations Championship?
The Nations Championship is a biennial competition beginning in 2026, with the next edition in 2028. It replaces the traditional summer tours and autumn internationals, creating a cohesive tournament that links the international windows and gives every match added significance. The second-tier World Rugby Nations Cup involves teams like Georgia, Portugal, and Samoa, but no promotion or relegation exists for the first two editions, a point of criticism.
How does the Nations Championship work?
The competition features two six-team pools: one comprising the Six Nations teams (England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Italy) and the other including Southern Hemisphere giants (South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Japan, Fiji). Teams play one match against each nation from the opposite pool across six matchdays—three in summer and three in autumn. Southern Hemisphere teams host in summer, then travel north in autumn, except Fiji, whose home games are held in the UK due to stadium standards.
After the round-robin, a finals series takes place over three days in late November, with all matches at Twickenham. Teams finishing in the same pool position face off, culminating in a final between the pool winners.
How to watch the Nations Championship
ITV holds rights for the 2026 and 2028 editions, broadcasting all matches live and free-to-air on ITV1 and ITV4. Coverage begins with all six opening games on Saturday, July 4. In-game adverts, which proved divisive during the Six Nations, are paused for now, though this is expected to be temporary.
