Overview
- World Rugby published the inaugural 2026 schedule, opening in July with New Zealand vs France, South Africa vs England and Australia vs Ireland, and concluding with a Finals Weekend at Twickenham from November 27–29.
- Teams are split North vs South with Six Nations sides facing SANZAAR nations plus Japan and Fiji across six rounds in July and November before cross-hemisphere placement games in London.
- A concurrent second-tier World Rugby Nations Cup was announced with 12 teams, 11 confirmed and the final berth to be decided between Belgium or Samoa.
- Nations Cup competitors will play cross-pool opponents across the July and November windows with champions determined by points, and locations and full logistics to be confirmed.
- Venue details for several top-tier fixtures remain pending, with reports indicating Fiji will relocate designated home matches to neutral sites, and the Rugby Championship will not be staged in 2026 to accommodate the new calendar.