The Nations Championship is international rugby’s newest competition.

The bi-annual tournament will combine 12 side from around the globe in fixtures across the summer and autumn, beginning in July 2026.

It will unite the six European team in the Six Nations (England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy), the four Rugby Championship sides (New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina) as well as Fiji and Japan in this attempt to align the global rugby calendar.

Related: Autumn Nations Series all you need to know

With fixtures played across the northern and southern hemisphere with the finals taking place at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham from 27 to 29 November.

Co-Chair of the Nations Championship, Ronan Dunne, said: “The Nations Championship, and its introduction into the international rugby calendar, is a transformational moment for the entire sport, and demonstrates the power of collaboration.

“The tournament will bring together the very best from across the game, elevating rugby on a global scale, but its power to alter the sport’s trajectory and usher in a new era of sustained growth stands to be a hallmark of the Nations Championship.”

Japan and Fiji are included despite not being a part of the Six Nations or Rugby Championship.

Brendan Morris, CEO of SANZAAR, said: “We warmly welcome our Pacific neighbours Japan and Fiji into the tournament, as part of our ‘team’. The participating teams are excited, the broadcasters are excited, and the fans are excited, and we very much look forward to July 2026 when it all kicks-off.”

While Six Nations CEO Tom Harrison added: “Rugby’s strongest nations have collaborated with a clear vision to grow the game, by challenging traditional ways of operating to create a tournament structure with genuine global relevance, which will unlock the true value of the sport.”

Below is everything you need to know about the competition.

Related: Nations Championship confirmed

Nations Championship 2026: Overview

– Dates: Saturday 4 July – Sunday 29 November, 2026

– Participating teams: Argentina, Australia, England, Fiji, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, Wales

Siya Kolisi of South Africa celebrates after winning The Rugby Championship match between New Zealand All Blacks and South Africa (Getty Images)

Nations Championship 2026: Format

The competition will happen once every two years and involve 12 teams. Six are northern hemisphere teams and six are southern hemisphere. There will be three rounds of fixtures played in the southern hemisphere in the summer and three played in the northern hemisphere in the autumn.

Nations Championship 2026: Fixtures

Finals weekend: 27-29 November 2026

Fixtures TBC – to be played at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham

Nations Championship 2026: Squads

The squads for all 12 teams will be updated when they are announced in 2026.

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