Nations Championship

[Epaminondas Pules]

England Men’s fixtures for the inaugural 2026 Nations Championship have been confirmed.
Steve Borthwick’s side will face South Africa, Fiji and Argentina in July 2026, before taking on Australia, Japan and New Zealand in November 2026.

The Nations Championship is the new international rugby tournament that transforms the existing July and November windows into a competitive cross hemisphere format every two years, outside a Rugby World Cup and British & Irish Lions tour year.

Twelve of the strongest nations in rugby will form two groups of six teams. The Six Nations teams will form a European group representing the Northern Hemisphere, and take on the SANZAAR nations, plus Japan and Fiji, who form a group nominally representing the Southern Hemisphere.

Next July, the Northern Hemisphere group of teams will travel to play three rounds of fixtures, with every team playing a different rival from the opposing Hemisphere group.

In November next year, the Southern Hemisphere group will then travel north for the remaining three rounds. Points are on offer across the July and November windows, to then dictate the table standings per Hemisphere group and inform the schedule of fixtures for the Nations Championship Finals Weekend.

Allianz Stadium, Twickenham will then host the first ever finals weekend, with six fixtures spread across three days of double headers. During the finals weekend the first ranked team in the Northern Hemisphere group will play the first ranked team in the Southern Hemisphere group to be crowned champions.

England’s Nations Championship fixtures
Round One - 4 July 2026 - South Africa v England

Round Two - 11 July 2026 - Fiji v England

Round Three - 18 July 2026 - Argentina v England

Round Four - 8 November 2026 - England v Australia

Round Five - 14 November 2026 - England v Japan

Round Six - 21 November 2026 - England v New Zealand

Northern Hemisphere teams
England

France

Ireland

Italy

Scotland

Wales

Southern Hemisphere teams
Argentina

Australia

New Zealand

South Africa

Japan

Fiji

[Epaminondas Pules]

So we travel from South Africa to Fiji and then to Argentina on successive weeks.

wtf.gif

[FKAS]

So we travel from South Africa to Fiji and then to Argentina on successive weeks.wtf.gif

No issues with emissions and keeping green here...

[fivepointer]

So the 3 test, or even 2 test, series in the summer is no more?

That would be a real pity as far as i'm concerned. And yes, the travelling is absolutely mad.

[Epaminondas Pules]

So the 3 test, or even 2 test, series in the summer is no more?

That would be a real pity as far as i'm concerned. And yes, the travelling is absolutely mad.

Every two years, the in-betweens being world cup years and Lions years. So yeah, basically, apart from probably Lions years.

It is also a little different for a SH team to come oop north and travel from England to France than to do Fiji to Argentina!

I just don't get what the need for this is.

[Epaminondas Pules]

G58hkiqWMAAPkgG.jpeg

[Epaminondas Pules]

EDIT: Apparently we'll be playing two games in South Africa, which will be SA and Fiji, then travel to Argentina for that game.

[Stom]

So in order to win the thing, we need to rely on the results of other matches? So it's basically who out of us, France, and Ireland, can win against SA..and failing that, what? Who can put more points on Fiji? Who doesn't lose against NZ?

[Danno]

The pitch at Twickenham is going to be absolutely fucked

[Puja]

So in order to win the thing, we need to rely on the results of other matches? So it's basically who out of us, France, and Ireland, can win against SA..and failing that, what? Who can put more points on Fiji? Who doesn't lose against NZ?

It also includes the 6N results as well.

Puja

[FKAS]

The pitch at Twickenham is going to be absolutely fucked

It says London so Wembley and/or the Tottenham stadium might also be used to ease the wear and tear on the Twickenham pitch (aren't they limited to a certain number of events at Twickers as well?).

[Buggaluggs]

The pitch at Twickenham is going to be absolutely fucked

Not as fucked as my Wales team will be.

[Mellsblue]

The pitch at Twickenham is going to be absolutely fucked

It says London so Wembley and/or the Tottenham stadium might also be used to ease the wear and tear on the Twickenham pitch (aren't they limited to a certain number of events at Twickers as well?).

In the op:
‘Allianz Stadium, Twickenham will then host the first ever finals weekend, with six fixtures spread across three days of double headers.’

Agree that it sounds like a recipe for the final to played on a mud bath. You’ve got hope that the groundsman has been consulted on this. It’s a hybrid, got excellent drainage and the heaters but…

[FKAS]

The pitch at Twickenham is going to be absolutely fucked

It says London so Wembley and/or the Tottenham stadium might also be used to ease the wear and tear on the Twickenham pitch (aren't they limited to a certain number of events at Twickers as well?).

In the op:
‘Allianz Stadium, Twickenham will then host the first ever finals weekend, with six fixtures spread across three days of double headers.’

Agree that it sounds like a recipe for the final to played on a mud bath. You’ve got hope that the groundsman has been consulted on this. It’s a hybrid, got excellent drainage and the heaters but…

Oh ta. That is disappointing. RFU no doubt only thinking in £££

[Puja]

In the op:
‘Allianz Stadium, Twickenham will then host the first ever finals weekend, with six fixtures spread across three days of double headers.’

That seems like madness to me. Double-headers do not result in double ticket sales - surely there's money being left on the table here?

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

Why did I think this idea had been completely dismissed? So it’s still a World Cup without the fun of any of the small teams or the schedule/logistics to make it as worthwhile?

[Mellsblue]

In the op:
‘Allianz Stadium, Twickenham will then host the first ever finals weekend, with six fixtures spread across three days of double headers.’

That seems like madness to me. Double-headers do not result in double ticket sales - surely there's money being left on the table here?

Puja

I’m hoping they’ll group one big guns match, say Fra vs NZ, with the also rans, I dunno let’s say Japan v Wales. You’d risk empty stadiums if, for example, Fiji played Scotland in the 9th place playoff.