Nations Championship logo displayed on a pitchside flag during the Wales–Fiji match
The Nations Championship is a biennial international men's rugby union competition, which is scheduled to take place in the mid-year and end-of-year international windows in even-numbered years. The inaugural edition began in 2026.[1]
The format of the competition includes a "European Conference", consisting of the Six Nations unions, and a "SANZAAR and Pacific Conference" comprising the four SANZAAR nations and the two invited unions (Japan and Fiji). Each team will play the six nations in the opposing conference across the July and November test windows, following which each team will play their equivalent-placed finisher in the opposing hemisphere, with a grand final between the top ranked finishers of each conference to be played at the end of the November window to decide the tournament champion.[4]
A second competition, run by World Rugby, is taking place concurrently and consists of twelve further teams, with promotion and relegation between the divisions commencing from the start of the third edition in 2030.
Teams
With no promotion and relegation in the first two editions, the following teams will contest the first three editions.
The creation of the Nations Championship has received criticism for 'ring-fencing' smaller nations outside elite competition and narrowing their opportunities to play against top nations.[7] It has also been criticised for potentially devaluing the Rugby World Cup.[8] World Rugby's Chief Executive Alan Gilpin has defended against this criticism by stating “the suggestions that this just makes the rich richer are misplaced. This creates a better landscape” whilst adding that there will be “50% guaranteed more crossover fixtures” in non-tournament years.[9]
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