The complete, independent guide to international rugby in 2026โ2027: the new global Nations Championship, the historic Guinness Six Nations, and the expanded 24-team Rugby World Cup in Australia.
2026 marks a turning point for international rugby with the launch of two brand-new competitions, created by World Rugby to anchor the calendar between Rugby World Cup cycles.
The first edition of a biennial World Rugby competition. 12 top-tier nations split into two pools (Northern vs Southern Hemisphere), six rounds across July and November, and a finals weekend at Twickenham on 27-29 November 2026. England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy form the Northern Pool.
Explore the competitionThe new second-tier competition for emerging rugby nations. 12 sides (Georgia, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Uruguay, Chile, Tonga, Samoa, Hong Kong Chinaโฆ) in two pools. The historic opener: Uruguay v Georgia on 4 July 2026 in Montevideo.
View the tournamentThe Guinness Six Nations opens the year in February-March, before the showpiece event of the season: the Rugby World Cup in Australia from October to November, the first edition expanded to 24 teams.
The 2027 edition of the historic tournament. 15 matches across 5 rounds. England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy. England open at home against Wales, while a potentially title-deciding Super Saturday in Dublin closes the championship.
Full fixturesAustralia hosts the 11th Rugby World Cup. The first ever 24-team tournament: 52 matches, 8 venues, 7 host cities. Opening match in Perth, final at Stadium Australia in Sydney. Defending champions South Africa put their crown on the line.
Explore the tournamentThe 2027 championship kicks off in Dublin on Friday 5 February 2027. Here are the first five fixtures of the tournament.
The 2026-2027 calendar packs a record number of international competitions into a handful of months: the brand-new Nations Championship and Nations Cup in 2026, the historic Guinness Six Nations in early 2027, and the expanded 24-team Rugby World Cup in Australia at the end of 2027. The intensity makes the next two seasons a pivotal moment in the history of world rugby.
For supporters across the British Isles, every Home Union โ England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland โ will be involved in two world-level competitions in 2026 (Nations Championship) and in the 2027 Six Nations and Rugby World Cup. Squads will face Southern Hemisphere giants (South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Fiji, Japan) in the Nations Championship, keep their traditional Six Nations rendezvous, and build into Australia 2027 against a backdrop of intense match-ups.
The first edition of a biennial competition pitting the six European nations from the Six Nations (Northern Pool) against six Southern Hemisphere sides (Southern Pool: South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Fiji, Japan). Six rounds across July and November 2026, followed by a one-off finals weekend at Twickenham (Allianz Stadium) on 27-29 November 2026.
The 2027 Six Nations is played across five rounds between 5 February and 13 March 2027. Fifteen matches, six teams, six iconic venues. The traditional Super Saturday finale on 13 March stages the championship's last three fixtures back-to-back โ a format that has become a ritual, and typically peaks with a title-deciding match in Dublin.
Australia hosts the Rugby World Cup for the third time in its history, after 1987 (co-hosted with New Zealand) and 2003. The 2027 format is revolutionary: for the first time, 24 nations are involved, up from 20 in previous editions. Six pools of four teams feed into a new Round of 16, followed by quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final.
2027 Championship breakdowns, ticket-buying guides, rivalry deep-dives and travel tips for matchday.
All 15 matches, UK kick-off times, broadcast on ITV / BBC / S4C / Virgin Media.
Read the article โPrice ranges by stadium and category + official ticketing release windows.
Read the article โTwickenham, Aviva, Murrayfield, Principality, Stade de France, Olimpico: capacity, access, atmosphere.
Read the article โStep-by-step method, 7 scam signals to watch for, a pre-purchase checklist.
Read the article โThe strengths of every team, our top 10 players to watch and the title-deciding fixtures.
Read the article โOrigins, statistics, the greatest moments โ and everything you need to know about Le Crunch 2027 at Twickenham.
Read the article โ24 teams, 52 matches, 8 stadiums, 7 cities, tickets and travel logistics.
Read the article โHow Premiership Rugby, Champions Cup, Six Nations and autumn internationals fit together.
Read the article โGod Save the King, Flower of Scotland, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, Ireland's Call, La Marseillaise, Il Canto degli Italiani.
Read the article โIt's a new global rugby competition created by World Rugby. First edition launched in 2026, biennial thereafter. Unique format: 12 top-tier sides split into two pools โ Northern v Southern Hemisphere โ with a finals weekend at Twickenham on 27-29 November 2026. England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy form the Northern Pool.
Two distinct competitions: the Nations Championship (top tier) gathers the 12 best teams in world rugby. The Nations Cup (second tier) is for emerging nations (Georgia, Portugal, Uruguay, Tonga, Samoa, Hong Kong Chinaโฆ). Both were launched simultaneously by World Rugby to structure international rugby across all levels.
The 2027 Guinness Six Nations runs from Friday 5 February 2027 (Ireland v England, Aviva Stadium, Dublin) to Saturday 13 March 2027 (Super Saturday, with Ireland v France in Dublin to close). Five rounds in total, 15 matches.
Australia hosts the Rugby World Cup 2027, from 1 October to 13 November 2027. Seven host cities: Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Newcastle and Townsville. Eight stadiums in total, with Stadium Australia in Sydney staging the final.
For the first time, 24 teams compete in the Rugby World Cup, up from 20 in previous editions. The format expands to 52 matches (versus 48 in 2023), with six pools of four feeding into a brand-new Round of 16 ahead of the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.
Official ticket releases happen in phases (club members first, then general public). For Six Nations 2027, public on-sales are expected in autumn 2026 through each national union (RFU, WRU, SRU, IRFU, FFR, FIR). For RWC 2027, pre-sale phases run through 2026-2027 on rugbyworldcup.com. Sign up at the bottom of the page to be alerted to every release, or read our ticket-buying guide.