Nations Championship: All you need to know about new rugby competition

The inaugural Nations Championship 2026 will kick off on Saturday 4 July, featuring 12 international rugby teams including the Six Nations sides, the four Rugby Championship nations, plus Fiji and Japan. The bi-annual tournament is designed to enhance summer and autumn internationals and align the global rugby calendar, with matches played across both hemispheres in July and November. The finals are scheduled to take place at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham from 27 to 29 November, with ITV holding UK broadcasting rights.