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2h ago

SANZAAR Confirms 2026 Rugby Championship Pause as Global Calendar Resets

SANZAAR frames the one-year absence as part of a rotating calendar designed to prevent tour clashes and balance player workloads.

Los Pumas jugarán dos test matches con Australia en un 2026 sin Rugby Championships. Foto AP/Mark Baker
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Joaquín Oviedo lleva la pelota y lo acompaña Franco Molina. Los dos cordobeses ratificaron el nivel del año pasado. (Prensa UAR)
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Overview

  • Argentina will not face New Zealand in 2026 and is slated for friendlies including two tests against South Africa and one or two against Australia.
  • The Rugby Championship is scheduled to return in full in 2027, 2028 and 2029, with another pause planned for 2030.
  • Officials describe the 2026 break as a strategic pause rather than a cancellation of the southern hemisphere tournament.
  • World Rugby plans to launch a biennial Nations Cup starting in 2026 with July and November windows and alternating home advantage between hemispheres.
  • The revised 2026 program gives Los Pumas competitive fixtures as preparation for the 2027 World Cup and increases opportunities for cross-hemisphere matchups.