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Nations Championship venues confirmed with All Blacks putting record on the line
By Josh Raisey
One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch, New Zealand, will be the stage for the first-ever Nations Championship fixture, with a heavyweight opener between the All Blacks and France on July 4.
It will be the first match under the aegis of the new All Blacks coach against a France side who look on course to be Guinness Six Nations champions.
It will also be the first time an international rugby fixture will be hosted at the new state-of-the-art, 30,000-capacity stadium in Christchurch, which was built as a replacement for Lancaster Park.
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The other ‘Southern Series’ round one matches will see Australia take on Ireland at Allianz Stadium, Sydney and Japan host Italy at Chichibunomiya Stadium, Tokyo, Fiji face Wales at the Cardiff City Stadium, the world champions South Africa welcome England at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park and finally Argentina to play Scotland at the Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes in Cordoba.
Round two will see Italy head to New Zealand to face the All Blacks at Sky Stadium in Wellington, while France will cross the Tasman to play Australia at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. England will fly home from South Africa to play Fiji at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, home of Premier League outfit Everton, with Scotland arriving in South Africa to take on the Springboks at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. Wales will take Scotland’s place in Argentina to face the Pumas at Estadio San Juan de Bicentenario, while the venue for Japan’s clash with Ireland is yet to be confirmed.
The third and final round of the ‘Southern Series’ will kick off in Japan as Eddie Jones’ Brave Blossoms face France at the Tokyo Nation Stadium, before the All Blacks put their 52-match unbeaten record at Eden Park on the line against Ireland.
Italy, meanwhile, will make the trip across the Tasman to play the Wallabies at Perth’s Telstra Stadium, while Scotland will return home from South Africa to play Fiji at Murrayfield. The Springboks will host Wales at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban, before England round off the series against Argentina at Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero.
“The confirmation of the match venues for the Southern Series chapter of the Nations Championship is another exciting and significant milestone for international rugby,” CEO of SANZAAR Brendan Morris said.
“The Nations Championship internationals, in July and November, now have real meaning for fans with every match counting to an overall tournament outcome. The July Southern Series matches are now locked in and will bring world class rugby to major cities and venues around the world including Buenos Aires, Christchurch, Johannesburg, Sydney, London and Tokyo.
“We are looking to answer the question, ‘Who will rule the world in 2026!’ as the top teams in the world compete for the Nations Championship crown, and we will also determine bragging rights as the Hemispheres Collide and the strongest hemisphere will ultimately be crowned.”
Tom Harrison, CEO of Six Nations Rugby added: “The Nations Championship will stand alongside the world’s best sport and entertainment tournaments, and the confirmation of venues hosting fixtures in July highlights the intention to put the best rugby teams and players in the sport in front of global fans, on some of the most iconic stages in world sport.
“Every fixture matters to every team in the Nations Championship, with each result in July pointing towards the Finals Weekend in London this November. The added jeopardy and meaning to each fixture will create hugely compelling entertainment for fans, and drive long-term growth for the sport. This is why we have approached the Finals Weekend ticketing with the commitment to make it accessible to as many fans as possible, so they have every chance to be there to experience the start of an incredible new era for rugby.”
