Rugby chiefs unveil ‘watershed’ Nations Championship to crown top team, hemisphere
Top 12 teams to play in international windows of July and November, while 12 more teams including Hong Kong will play in second-tier Nations Cup
Rugby chiefs on Monday officially launched the Nations Championship, a global competition featuring 12 of the strongest teams that will crown a winning nation and decide the sport’s dominant hemisphere.
Organisers said that the new biennial tournament signalled a “watershed moment for rugby union, years in the making”, and would transform the two existing international playing windows, in July and November.
The Nations Championship, which starts in July 2026, will replace ad hoc tours and one-off Tests, giving more meaning to internationals played outside of major tournaments.
World Rugby on Monday also announced a second-tier competition, the Nations Cup, with Hong Kong one of the 12 teams taking part next year.
For the nations Championship, the Six Nations teams will represent the northern hemisphere and face the SANZAAR nations (South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina), plus Japan and Fiji, representing the southern hemisphere.
Each side will play six matches, taking on each of their hemisphere rivals from the opposing group before a Nations Championship Finals Weekend to decide the tournament champion and winning hemisphere.