The global tournament, officially unveiled on Monday, promises to reshape international rugby by ensuring every Test carries meaningful consequences. The Nations Championship is a groundbreaking joint venture between SANZAAR and Six Nations Rugby, bringing together the 12 leading rugby nations in a competitive, biennial format. 

Representing the south will be South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Fiji, and Japan, who will take on the Six Nations powerhouses – England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales – during the traditional July and November Test windows.

Welsh supporters in Bloemfontein. Photo: Morgan Piek

The tournament includes six rounds before culminating in a first-of-its-kind Finals Weekend at Twickenham in November 2026. This blockbuster finale will feature three consecutive days of double-headers, offering fans wall-to-wall elite rugby and a dramatic end to the season.

For the Springboks, the 2026 schedule promises both nostalgia and excitement. England (4 July), Scotland (11 July), and Wales (18 July) will tour South Africa for three highly anticipated Tests – with all three nations returning after long absences. 

The Boks will then complete their northern commitments in November with fixtures against Italy (6–8 November), France (13–15 November), and Ireland (21 November).

Impi in Bloemfontein. Photo: Morgan Piek

What makes the Nations Championship unique is that every game matters. Teams will earn points throughout July and November – four for a win, two for a draw, and bonus points for scoring four or more tries or losing by seven or fewer. 

These standings will determine match-ups for Finals Weekend, where the top-ranked southern nation will face the best from the north to crown the inaugural champion. The remaining teams will also be playing for crucial group points, adding even more intensity to the closing stages.

By the end of the Finals Weekend, rugby fans will know – outside of a World Cup – which nation sits at the top of the global game, and which hemisphere holds the balance of power.

Evan Roos. Photo: Morgan Piek

SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer welcomed the new era, saying the competition would elevate the meaning of every Test match. 

“This new competition changes the global game as we know it. Kicking off with Tests against England, Scotland, and Wales will give the Boks the ideal preparation before our rivalry with the All Blacks resumes in August.”

Scotland last toured South Africa in 2014, England in 2018, and Wales in 2022. Oberholzer said the union “cannot wait to welcome them back”. 

Grant Williams. Photo: Morgan Piek

SANZAAR chief executive Brendan Morris called the Championship an “historic and exciting move”, while Six Nations CEO Tom Harrison said it signalled a “tectonic shift” in world rugby.

With Japan and Fiji completing the 12-team format, leaders from both hemispheres agree that the Nations Championship represents a collaborative effort to globalise and commercialise the sport like never before.

Rugby’s future is about to get a major shake-up – and it all begins with the Springboks defending home turf against rugby’s northern giants.

Damian Willemse. Photo: Morgan Piek

This just added to the excitement for rugby in South Africa in 2026, as in August, the All Blacks will also tackle the Springboks in the historic first-ever Greatest Rivalry Series. 

The two most successful nations in Rugby World Cup history will in this series meet in no less than four Tests.

Venues and kick-off times will be confirmed by SA Rugby in due course.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek cvs