Week 1 of the 2026 Nations Championship is played across Friday 6, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November 2026, marking the northern hemisphere opening round of the inaugural edition of World Rugby’s new global men’s international competition. The Nations Championship replaces the traditional Autumn Internationals with a structured, points-based tournament linking summer and autumn windows, and culminates in a Finals Weekend in London from 27 to 29 November.
What is the Nations Championship?
The Nations Championship is a biennial international rugby union competition launched by World Rugby in 2026. It features 12 men’s teams split into two pools of six. The “Northern” pool contains the Six Nations teams: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. The “Southern” pool contains the SANZAAR nations (Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa) plus Japan and Fiji. Every team plays each side from the opposing pool once across the July and November international windows, with three matches in the summer and three in the northern autumn.
Points are awarded on a standard Test match basis with tries, bonus points and ranking outcomes feeding into a live standings table. After six pool matches each side is ranked 1st to 6th in its pool. The entire field then converges on London’s Allianz Stadium for the Finals Weekend, where teams play their equivalently ranked counterpart from the other pool in a series of double-headers culminating in the 1st-versus-1st Grand Final.
When is Nations Championship Week 1?
Week 1 runs from Friday 6 November through Sunday 8 November 2026. Confirmed fixtures include Ireland vs Argentina on Friday 6 November at the Aviva Stadium, Scotland vs New Zealand and Wales vs Japan on Saturday 7 November, and England vs Australia at Allianz Stadium on Sunday 8 November. France and Italy host their own Southern Hemisphere opponents across the same weekend. Kick-off times follow the traditional European autumn rugby slots, with most Saturday matches starting between 14:15 and 17:40 local time.
Where is Week 1 played?
Matches take place at each Six Nations side’s home stadium. England hosts at Allianz Stadium (formerly Twickenham) in south-west London, Scotland at Scottish Gas Murrayfield in Edinburgh, Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, France at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, and Italy at Stadio Olimpico in Rome. The Finals Weekend from 27 to 29 November is played exclusively at Allianz Stadium, London.
Key Contenders
Ireland enters the inaugural Nations Championship as the northern hemisphere’s top-ranked side and will face a stern test against Argentina’s Pumas, who pushed Ireland and New Zealand hard throughout 2025. England, under head coach Steve Borthwick, faces an Australia side looking to rebuild momentum ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup. New Zealand’s All Blacks remain the benchmark for the southern pool despite recent defeats, and Scotland vs New Zealand is traditionally one of the most atmospheric fixtures of the autumn calendar. France and South Africa, the back-to-back 2023 and 2027 cycle Rugby World Cup contenders, rank among the strongest pool performers on paper.
How to Watch
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, Nations Championship matches are broadcast by TNT Sports, which holds exclusive rights for the Home Nations windows. Free-to-air highlights are expected on the BBC. In Australia, Stan Sport carries every fixture. New Zealand coverage is handled by Sky Sport NZ. SuperSport covers South Africa and much of Africa. In France, TF1 and France Télévisions share rights to home French matches. ESPN+ holds the United States rights, while Japan’s fixtures are broadcast domestically on NHK and J Sports. International audiences outside rights territories can access the competition through World Rugby’s official streaming service.
History and Records
The 2026 Nations Championship is the first edition of the tournament, launched by World Rugby to replace the patchwork of summer tours and autumn internationals that had structured the international calendar since the professional era began. The concept was first mooted in 2019 and received final approval in 2023 after extended negotiations between World Rugby, the Six Nations Council and SANZAAR. The tournament is scheduled to run every two years outside Rugby World Cup cycles, with promotion and relegation to a Tier 2 division added in later editions.
Tickets and Attendance
Tickets for each Week 1 match are sold directly by the host union through their official ticketing platforms. Prices vary by fixture: England vs Australia at Allianz Stadium typically ranges from £35 to £170, while Scotland vs New Zealand at Murrayfield runs from around £30 to £150. Finals Weekend tickets are sold as a separate three-day package through Allianz Stadium’s hospitality and ticketing channels.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Nations Championship Week 1?
Week 1 is played from Friday 6 November to Sunday 8 November 2026.
Where are the Week 1 matches played?
At the home stadiums of England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy.
How can I watch the Nations Championship?
TNT Sports in the UK and Ireland, Stan Sport in Australia, Sky Sport NZ, SuperSport in South Africa, and ESPN+ in the United States.
What is the Nations Championship format?
Twelve teams in two pools of six, with cross-pool matches in July and November and a Finals Weekend in London from 27 to 29 November 2026.