What is the Nations Championship?

The Nations Championship is a new biennial international tournament that will take place in the existing summer and autumn windows.

The competition will launch in 2026 and consist of 12 teams - the current Six Nations - England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy as well as six nations from the southern hemisphere - Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, South Africa, Japan and Fiji.

England will play away in the summer window and at home during the Autumn - at the same time as the existing Quilter Nations Series. These teams will all be fighting for a place in the final at Allianz Stadium.

Southern Hemisphere Series 

Date	Round	Fixture	Location	Time
04/07/2026	1	South Africa v England	Ellis Park	16:40
11/07/2026	2	Fiji v England	Hill Dickinson Stadium	14:10
18/07/2026	3	Argentina v England	Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades	20:00

Northern Hemisphere Series

Date	Round	Fixture	Location	Time
08/11/2026	4	England v Australia	Allianz Stadium	15:10
14/11/2026	5	England v Japan	Allianz Stadium	16:40
21/11/2026	6	England v New Zealand	Allianz Stadium	14:10