Nations Championship 2026: Format, Fixtures, and Finals Weekend explained

Much has been made of the new competition and how dramatically it will reshape the global game, but just what exactly are fans in store for?

Format and fixtures explained

The 12-team tournament features the four SANZAAR nations - South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina - alongside invited teams Fiji and Japan, competing against the six unions of the Six Nations: France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales and England.

The Championship is played across July and November.

July: Three successive weekends hosted by southern hemisphere teams, with six matches per round.

November: Southern teams tour the north, completing cross-hemisphere fixtures so that each team plays all six opponents from the other hemisphere.

Teams earn log points in separate northern and southern tables before the competition culminates during a Finals Weekend in November, featuring six play-off matches across three days.

Final placings in each table determine the match-ups, with teams facing their equivalent-ranked opponent from the opposite hemisphere (for example, North 3 vs South 3).

The weekend builds in intensity from Friday to Sunday, beginning with the lower-ranked play-off matches and progressing through the standings. The finale sees South 1 vs North 1, staged at Allianz Stadium, where the top-ranked teams from each hemisphere contest the championship title.

In total, 42 matches will be played across the series.

The Springboks' 2026 Nations Championship fixtures

The Springboks will play their three home fixtures during the July Southern Series window, hosting teams from the Six Nations at iconic South African venues. Their away fixtures will take place in November, when they tour the northern hemisphere to complete the set of six cross-hemisphere matches.

Home fixtures (July 2026)

Saturday 4 July: Springboks vs England - Ellis Park, Johannesburg

Saturday 11 July: Springboks vs Scotland - Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

Saturday 18 July: Springboks vs Wales - Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban

Away fixtures (November 2026)

Weekend of 6-8 November: Italy vs Springboks (venue TBC)

Weekend of 13-15 November: France vs Springboks - Stade de France, Paris

Weekend of 20-22 November: Ireland vs Springboks (venue TBC, likely Dublin)

Weekend of 27-29 November: Finals Weekend (Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, London)

What SA Rugby said

The Nations Championship is intended to elevate the importance of every international fixture. The hope is the new format will deepen traditional rivalries, create some brand new ones, and give emerging nations greater exposure on the global stage.

Mark Alexander, president of the South African Rugby Union, described the launch as a landmark moment for the sport.

"This new chapter in rugby's history brings together the world's leading nations in a structured, integrated competition to enhance the importance of every fixture.

"It is designed to deliver a world-class experience for fans, offering meaningful fixtures, consistent competition windows and a platform that showcases the very best of international rugby.

"It also reinforces the sport's core values of respect, resilience and global connection. A new chapter for the global game has begun."