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International

Nations Championship venues confirmed with All Blacks putting record on the line

By Josh Raisey

46 days ago

New Zealand perform a haka during The Rugby Championship match between the New Zealand All Blacks and South Africa Springboks at Eden Park on September 06, 2025 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

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.

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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.”

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Comments

21 Comments

Kia koe 46 days ago

I feel for Fiji here.

PE 46 days ago

Fiji will be ok. They are used to not hosting and most of their players are based in England or France. Wales will be their easiest game but they then play “England A” in the rugby heartland of Liverpool and a jetlagged Scotland in Edinburgh. They may end up 2 from 3 and certainly won’t be bate out the gate.

unknown 46 days ago

France play top 14 final week before so gonna be a second team playing

J Marc 46 days ago

This championship will be a joke and totally unfair. When SH teams come in Europe in november they can chose a camp in London ,for example , and with 2 hours with train should go everywhere to play games . When France will go to NZ ,after 18500km, 30 hours of planes and airports, and 10 hours of jetlag, they will play a game. Next day ,they will fly 3 or 4 hours ,.. , and play an other game in Australia. Next week, fly 14hours ,9000km… and a third game in Tokyo. Where is players safety ? Where is fairness ?

JW 44 days ago

Same problem SR endured with for decades (and now you guys are experiencing first hand) and inhibited South African teams J Marc.

PE 46 days ago

Fairness was never going to be a consideration. The only alternative was pick one host and play all games there, but why would the SH teams give up their bi annual gate receipts on which they rely very heavily? Personally, I think the whole concept has been one compromise after another until we got an absolutely terrible competition that will be ditched quicker than formed. The idea was originally supposed to open the doors to less traditional rugby nations and in the end only Japan and Fiji were included. I am not even sure how it is supposed to grow the game. If anything, it reduces the opportunities for Samoa, Tonga, Georgia, Portugal, USA & Canada because now they are completely shut out of the November Internationals where previously they could count on at least 1 or 2 every few years.

KwAussie 46 days ago

These players travel business class and get plenty of rest. The travel is an excuse not a reason. It’d probably help if France sent it’s strongest team but with Top 14 finals at the same time the SH will probably miss out again

Can I have a word your Honour? 46 days ago

Welcome to the real world. When SA were a part of Super Rugby, between the Super Rugby games, the June Internationals, the Rugby Championship & the Autumn Internationals, some of those SA, Aus, Arg & NZ players would fly the equivalent of 8-9 times around the world in the course of a season. The distance is an issue but not really a problem when you compare the Time Zone changes they have to cater for which induces the Jet Lag etc.

And as for any SH Team to easily base themselves in London for the duration of the Autumn Internationals & simply jump on a train for 2 hours to play a Test, you really are delusional & have no idea of the real world.

Eric Elwood 46 days ago

It is exciting. But it again must be said that the decision to lock in perpetual “tournament” teams into the top 6 from each hemisphere rather than giving teams a chance to get in on merit is a disgrace. This is a short term extra few quid at the expense of developing a global game.

We were assured that the likes of Georgia were locked out of the 6N because the 6N is a limited company. Now it appears that the 6N are locked into the Nations Championship (unless someone knows differently?). Non 6N European teams are effectively forever locked out of the top tier of two major tournaments.

JW 44 days ago

Promotion-relegation is locked in Eric.

John Breslin 46 days ago

It is a missed opportunity. Georgia are at least the equal of the Italian teams of the 80’s & 90’s that eventually got a step-up, albeit their golden generation had already passed by that point.

The established top 12 are locked in with only 3 real variations and styles of play between them. Not healthy

WR has committed to developing revenue from a smaller basket of talent at the expense of helping the game develop in countries were it has been played for well over a century

Every team getting their own playoff final at the end is also very cynical. And greedy

I hope the concussion lawsuit bankrupts them

SB 46 days ago

Excited to see what France squad will be picked for that All Blacks game. Last year it was a third or fourth level team, perhaps this time it will be stronger. One thing is for sure, the Top 14 finalists won’t be there as it’s a week prior to that test.

JW 44 days ago

Unlikely, you’d feel they have to abide by the eligibility guidelines this year with WR looking over their shoulder.

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