The countdown to the inaugural Nations Championship Finals Weekend is officially on, with more than 100,000 tickets already sold. The landmark three-day festival of international rugby will take place at Allianz Stadium, London, from 27-29 November. The Finals Weekend will ultimately determine the dominant rugby hemisphere in international rugby, ending years of speculation with the awarding of the Nations Championship Hemisphere Trophy. The tournament will also recognise the top team in the world in 2026, who will lift the inaugural Nations Championship Trophy.
The innovative Nations Championship features the 12 strongest teams in international rugby, divided into Northern and Southern Hemisphere groups. Two series of matches, all featuring cross-hemisphere face-offs, will determine the table standings for each hemisphere group and therefore seedings for the Finals Weekend at Allianz Stadium in London. The Southern Series has already been played, with 18 matches hosted by the Southern Hemisphere in July. The Northern Series [7, 14 and 22 November] – will see a further 18 matches played across the UK, Ireland, France, and Italy to determine the final hemisphere table standings in the ultimate North v South clash.
