World Rugby Nations Championship 2026 launches with 12 top nations

The inaugural Nations Championship 2026, organized by World Rugby, began in July featuring the sport's twelve highest‑ranked national teams. The competition is split into a northern conference (England, Scotland, Wales, France, Ireland, Italy) and a southern conference (Argentina, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, plus invited Fiji and Japan). Points earned in each match count toward the World Rugby rankings. All fixtures are streamed live on Disney+ Premium.

The opening round saw New Zealand beat France 34‑32, Japan defeat Italy 27‑10, Australia lose to Ireland 31‑33, Fiji fall to Wales 24‑39, South Africa overcome England 45‑21, and Argentina be edged by Scotland 38‑47. The tournament will continue with a second‑round slate on 11 July.