A new second-tier competition created by World Rugby for the 12 emerging nations of world rugby qualified for Rugby World Cup 2027 but outside the world's top 12. It kicks off on 4 July 2026 in Montevideo with a historic Uruguay v Georgia opener.
The World Rugby Nations Cup is a new global rugby competition created alongside the Nations Championship. Where the Nations Championship brings together the world's top 12 sides (including England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy), the Nations Cup offers a structured competitive format for the nations sitting just below the world's top 12. The initiative gives these teams more Test matches, supports their climb up the world rankings, and helps them prepare for major events such as the Rugby World Cup.
This competition is also biennial (2026, 2028, 2030 and so on), with two international windows per year (July and November). It rounds out the international rugby calendar and gives emerging rugby nations greater visibility — a vital step in developing the sport beyond the established powers.
The Nations Championship (top tier, featuring England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland) and the Nations Cup (second tier) are two separate competitions, launched simultaneously by World Rugby to structure international rugby at every level. UK and Irish media occasionally conflate the two — we cover them in separate pages on this site to avoid any confusion.
Historic opening match: Saturday 4 July 2026 in Montevideo (Uruguay) — Uruguay v Georgia
Summer phase: July 2026 (3 rounds)
Autumn phase: November 2026 (3 rounds)
End of tournament: 29 November 2026
Format: no single final in 2026 — each pool produces a champion based on points.
The Nations Cup format mirrors that of the Nations Championship: 12 teams are divided into two pools based on geography, with an inter-pool round-robin played across six rounds in two international windows.
Each team in one pool plays all six teams from the other pool, for 6 matches per team (3 in July + 3 in November). In total: 36 matches across the whole tournament.
Unlike the Nations Championship, which culminates in a finals weekend at Twickenham, the 2026 Nations Cup has no single final. The standings in each pool are decided on points accumulated over the six rounds — each pool produces its own champion. The format may evolve in 2028.
The very first match in Nations Cup history opens the competition in Montevideo on 4 July 2026.
Not all 36 league-stage matches have been confirmed at the time of publication. Sign up via the form at the bottom of the page to receive updates as soon as World Rugby publishes the complete fixture list.
Beyond the sporting contest itself, the 2026 Nations Cup carries several major implications for the development of international rugby:
The 12 teams involved are also the nations qualified for Rugby World Cup 2027 from outside the world's top 12 (those automatically qualified via their RWC 2023 standings). The Nations Cup gives them a structured, competitive run-up to the World Cup in Australia — each side will play between 6 and 7 Test matches in 2026, compared to just 2 or 3 traditionally.
Portugal, Chile, Georgia, Zimbabwe and Hong Kong China are all rapidly growing rugby nations. The Nations Cup gives them regular exposure, additional revenue and the sporting data they need to professionalise and climb the World Rugby rankings.
The expansion of RWC 2027 to 24 teams (up from 20) changes the picture: for that expansion to make sporting sense, the new sides need to be competitive. The Nations Cup is World Rugby's key tool for achieving this. A well-prepared Georgia or Portugal should be able to ruffle a few feathers as soon as the pool stage of RWC 2027.
The Nations Championship is the top tier: 12 teams from the summit of world rugby, including England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy. The Nations Cup is the second tier: 12 emerging nations (Georgia, Portugal, Uruguay and others) looking to progress. Two separate competitions at two different levels.
On Saturday 4 July 2026 with a historic Uruguay v Georgia opener at the Estadio Charrúa in Montevideo. The first official match in Nations Cup history.
No, not in 2026. The inaugural edition awards titles based on points accumulated within each pool across the six rounds. The format may change in future editions (2028, 2030).
No. England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy all play in the Nations Championship (top tier). The Nations Cup is reserved for nations qualified for RWC 2027 outside the world's top 12.