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When is the Nations Championship 2026 rugby? Date, schedule and how to watch
Radio Times brings you the details about the Nations Championship 2026 rugby, including date and TV schedule.
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
- Ned Holmes
Published: Tuesday, 19 May 2026 at 9:55 am
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Rugby union fans rejoice! The inaugural season of the Nations Championship roars into life this summer.
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The new tournament is a shake-up to the international calendar and brings together the top 12 teams in the world for six rounds of fixtures, which will set up a thrilling finals weekend.
The nations are split into two geographic conferences, with the Northern Hemisphere sides hosting the first three rounds in July and the Southern Hemisphere teams returning the favour in November.
The winner of each conference will compete for the first Nations Championship title at the end of November on finals weekend, when all 12 teams will be in action at Twickenham.
It promises to be a thrilling ride, which will see the best players and teams in the world go head-to-head.
Radio Times brings you the details about the Nations Championship 2026 rugby, including date and kick-off time.
When is the Nations Championship 2026?
The inaugural season of the Nations Championship starts with the first round of matches on Saturday 4 July 2026 and will conclude with the final at Twickenham on Sunday 29 November 2026.
It will be split into three parts. The Southern Hemisphere Series runs from Saturday 4 July until Saturday 18 July, the Northern Hemisphere Series runs from Friday 6 November to Saturday 21 November, and the finals run from Friday 27 November to Sunday 29 November.
Where is the Nations Championship 2026?
The Southern Hemisphere teams will play three home games against Northern Hemisphere teams in July,
Each team will play three home games during the series in their hemisphere and three away games during the series in the other hemisphere.
The six finals will all be played at Twickenham, in London, across Friday 27, Saturday 28, and Sunday 29 November.
Watch the Nations Championship 2026 on TV and live stream
UK fans can watch the Nations Championship 2026 rugby exclusively on ITV.
All 42 matches from this year's tournament will be available free-to-air on ITV channels and streamed on ITVX.
As part of a deal with Six Nations Rugby, the broadcaster will have exclusive rights for the first two seasons of the Nations Championship, in 2026 and 2028.
Nations Championship 2026 TV schedule
Southern Hemisphere Series
Saturday 4 July
- New Zealand v France (8:10am - One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch) ITV / ITVX
- Japan v Italy (9:40am - Tokyo Chichibunomiya, Tokyo) ITV / ITVX
- Australia v Ireland (11:10am - Allianz Stadium, Sydney) ITV / ITVX
- Fiji v Wales (2:10pm - Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff) ITV / ITVX
- South Africa v England (4:40pm - Ellis Park, Johannesburg) ITV / ITVX
- Argentina v Scotland (8:10pm - Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Cordoba) ITV / ITVX
Saturday 11 July
- New Zealand v Italy (6:10am - Hnry Stadium, Wellington) ITV / ITVX
- Australia v France (8:40am - Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane) ITV / ITVX
- Japan v Ireland (11:10am - McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, Australia) ITV / ITVX
- Fiji v England (2:10pm - Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool) ITV / ITVX
- South Africa v Scotland (4:40pm - Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria) ITV / ITVX
- Argentina v Wales (8:20pm - Estadio San Juan de Bicentenario, San Juan) ITV / ITVX
Saturday 18 July
- New Zealand v Ireland (8:10am - Eden Park, Auckland) ITV / ITVX
- Japan v France (9:40am - Tokyo Nation Stadium, Tokyo) ITV / ITVX
- Australia v Italy (11:10am - HBF Park, Perth) ITV / ITVX
- Fiji v Scotland (2:10pm - Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh) ITV / ITVX
- South Africa v Wales (4:40pm - Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban) ITV / ITVX
- Argentina v England (8:10pm - Estadio Unico Madre de Cuidades, Santiago del Estero) ITV / ITVX
Northern Hemisphere Series
Friday 6 November
- Ireland v Argentina (8:10pm - Aviva Stadium, Dublin) ITV / ITVX
Saturday 7 November
- Italy v South Africa (11:40am - Allianz Stadium, Turin) ITV / ITVX
- Scotland v New Zealand (2:10pm - Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh) ITV / ITVX
- Wales v Japan (4:40pm - Principality Stadium, Cardiff) ITV / ITVX
- France v Fiji (8:10pm - Groupama Stadium, Lyon) ITV / ITVX
Sunday 8 November
- England v Australia (3:10pm - Allianz Stadium, London) ITV / ITVX
Friday 13 November
- France v South Africa (8:10pm - Stade de France, Paris) ITV / ITVX
Saturday 14 November
- Italy v Argentina (11:40am - Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa) ITV / ITVX
- Wales v New Zealand (2:10pm - Principality Stadium, Cardiff) ITV / ITVX
- England v Japan (4:40pm - Allianz Stadium, London) ITV / ITVX
- Ireland v Fiji (8:10pm - Aviva Stadium, Dublin) ITV / ITVX
Sunday 15 November
- Scotland v Australia (3:10pm - Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh) ITV / ITVX
Saturday 21 November
- England v New Zealand (2:10pm - Allianz Stadium, London) ITV / ITVX
- Scotland v Japan (2:10pm - Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh) ITV / ITVX
- Ireland v South Africa (4:40pm - Aviva Stadium, Dublin) ITV / ITVX
- Italy v Fiji (4:40pm - Bluenergy Stadium, Udine) ITV / ITVX
- Wales v Australia (8:10pm - Principality Stadium, Cardiff) ITV / ITVX
- France v Argentina (8:10pm - Stade de France, Paris) ITV / ITVX
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Finals
Friday 27 November
- 11th Place Final: Northern 6 v Southern 6 (4:40pm, Twickenham) ITV / ITVX
- 5th Place Final: Northern 3 v Southern 3 (8:10pm, Twickenham) ITV / ITVX
Saturday 28 November
- 9th Place Final: Northern 5 v Southern 5 (1:10pm, Twickenham) ITV / ITVX
- 3rd Place Final: Northern 2 v Southern 2 (4:40pm, Twickenham) ITV / ITVX
Sunday 29 November
- 7th Place Final: Northern 4 v Southern 4 (1:10pm, Twickenham) ITV / ITVX
- Nations Championship Final: Northern 1 v Southern 1 (4:40pm, Twickenham) ITV / ITVX
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Authors
Ned Holmes
Ned is a sports writer at RadioTimes.com. He has covered a host of sports from EFL football, international cricket and golf all the way through to bike polo and triathlon.
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