Rugby 2026

The 2026 rugby calendar features the second edition of World Rugby's Nations Championship alongside the established Six Nations, Super Rugby Pacific, and three European club leagues.

The Nations Championship is a biennial competition featuring 12 top nations divided into two conferences of six (North and South). Teams play cross-hemisphere matches during the July and November test windows, with a Finals Weekend scheduled for Twickenham in London. The format replaces the traditional autumn internationals, giving context and standings to matches that were previously standalone fixtures.

The Six Nations Championship (February 7 to March 14) features England, France, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Italy, as it has since Italy joined the tournament in 2000. Match windows span from early afternoon to evening across European timezones, with kickoffs typically between 14:10 and 20:40 CET. For fans in Sydney, Saturday afternoon fixtures in London or Paris start between 01:10 and 06:40 AEDT.

Super Rugby Pacific runs from February through June, covering teams across New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, and the Pacific Islands. The timezone spread is substantial: a Friday night match at 19:05 NZST in Auckland kicks off at 07:05 GMT in London and 17:05 AEST in Sydney. The European club leagues (Gallagher Premiership, Top 14, United Rugby Championship) run September through June, overlapping with both the Six Nations and Nations Championship windows.