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The Nations Championship brings a new format to international rugby, linking the July and November Test windows in a competition featuring 12 countries.
Ireland, England, France, Scotland, Wales and Italy take on six teams from the opposing group, with results deciding who reaches the final at Twickenham.
But how do the tables work, why does every team play on finals weekend, and what do teams need to do to win it?
Here’s everything you need to know.
The Nations Championship is a new international men’s rugby competition held every two years, with the inaugural edition taking place in 2026.
Created by Six Nations Rugby and SANZAAR, it brings the July and November international windows together under one tournament, culminating in a three-day finals weekend in London.
There are 42 matches in total, with each country playing six group fixtures and one match on finals weekend.
The 12 countries are divided into two groups of six.
| Northern group | Southern group |
|---|---|
| Ireland | South Africa |
| England | New Zealand |
| France | Australia |
| Scotland | Argentina |
| Wales | Fiji |
| Italy | Japan |
Japan is included in the Southern Hemisphere group alongside the four Rugby Championship countries and Fiji, despite being geographically in the Northern Hemisphere.
Each team plays all six countries in the opposite group once, across two international windows.
The opening three rounds took place in July, with the remaining three rounds scheduled for November.
Crucially, countries do not play the other teams in their own group during this phase.
Ireland, for example, face Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Argentina, Fiji and South Africa. Their results determine where they finish in the northern table, alongside England, France, Scotland, Wales and Italy.
After six matches, the team at the top of each group qualifies for the Nations Championship final. There are no quarter-finals or semi-finals.
The group stage uses a familiar rugby bonus-point system:
| Result | Table points |
|---|---|
| Win | 4 |
| Draw | 2 |
| Defeat | 0 |
| Score four or more tries | 1 bonus point |
| Lose by seven points or fewer | 1 bonus point |
A team can collect both bonus points in defeat if it scores at least four tries and finishes within seven points of its opponent.
Those points determine each country’s position in its own group and, ultimately, its opponent on finals weekend.
The July rounds were played on July 4, 11 and 18. The competition resumes in November with the following group fixtures.
All kick-off times below are Irish and UK time.
| Date | Fixture | Kick-off |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, November 6 | Ireland v Argentina | 8.10pm |
| Saturday, November 7 | Italy v South Africa | 11.40am |
| Saturday, November 7 | Scotland v New Zealand | 2.10pm |
| Saturday, November 7 | Wales v Japan | 4.40pm |
| Saturday, November 7 | France v Fiji | 8.10pm |
| Sunday, November 8 | England v Australia | 3.10pm |
| Date | Fixture | Kick-off |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, November 13 | France v South Africa | 8.10pm |
| Saturday, November 14 | Italy v Argentina | 11.40am |
| Saturday, November 14 | Wales v New Zealand | 2.10pm |
| Saturday, November 14 | England v Japan | 4.40pm |
| Saturday, November 14 | Ireland v Fiji | 8.10pm |
| Sunday, November 15 | Scotland v Australia | 3.10pm |
| Date | Fixture | Kick-off |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, November 21 | England v New Zealand | 2.10pm |
| Saturday, November 21 | Scotland v Japan | 2.10pm |
| Saturday, November 21 | Ireland v South Africa | 4.40pm |
| Saturday, November 21 | Italy v Fiji | 4.40pm |
| Saturday, November 21 | France v Argentina | 8.10pm |
| Saturday, November 21 | Wales v Australia | 8.10pm |
Ireland’s three November group matches will all be played at the Aviva Stadium.
Finals weekend takes place at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, from Friday, November 27 to Sunday, November 29, 2026.
All 12 teams will be involved, with two matches played each day.
Each country faces the team that finishes in the corresponding position in the opposite group. First plays first for the title, second plays second, and so on.
| Date | Fixture | Irish/UK kick-off |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, November 27 | North sixth v South sixth | 4.40pm |
| Friday, November 27 | North third v South third | 8.10pm |
| Saturday, November 28 | North fifth v South fifth | 1.10pm |
| Saturday, November 28 | North second v South second | 4.40pm |
| Sunday, November 29 | North fourth v South fourth | 1.10pm |
| Sunday, November 29 | North first v South first — final | 4.40pm |
Ireland’s opponent and match date will therefore depend on their final position in the northern table.
Alongside the main Nations Championship trophy, the northern and southern groups compete for the Hemisphere Shield.
This is decided by results across finals weekend, with seven points available:
The first hemisphere to reach four points wins the shield, giving every finals weekend match a role in the wider north-versus-south contest.
Matches outside the final go to 10 minutes of golden-point extra time, with the first score winning the game.
If neither team scores, the match is drawn, and the hemisphere point is shared.
The final has two 10-minute golden-point periods available. If the teams remain level, a place-kicking competition decides the champion.
No. The Six Nations remains a separate competition, and its results do not count towards the Nations Championship.
The new tournament runs in even-numbered years, fitting between Rugby World Cup and British & Irish Lions tour years. After 2026, the next edition is scheduled for 2028.
There is no promotion or relegation in the inaugural competition.
World Rugby has introduced the Nations Cup for the 12 other countries qualified for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. Promotion and relegation between the competitions will be examined from the 2030 edition onwards, rather than being guaranteed to begin then.
In Ireland, Virgin Media Television is showing all 42 matches live and free-to-air, including every Ireland fixture and finals weekend.
In the UK, the competition is available free-to-air through ITV and ITVX.
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