Pools and fixtures confirmed for newly-named World Rugby Junior World Championship

South Africa U20 will get their World Rugby Junior World Championship defence underway against Uruguay U20 on Saturday, June 27, World Rugby have confirmed.

The four pools and match schedule were confirmed by World Rugby on Thursday ahead of the World Championship, formerly the World Rugby U20 Championship, later this year, which will return to Georgia for the first time since 2017.

Not only has the name of the competition been changed, but there have been several changes to the structure of the tournament.

For the first time since 2009, the Championship will comprise 16 teams, as opposed to 12 in recent years, welcoming Fiji, USA, Japan and Uruguay, who were the highest-ranked teams from the U20 Trophy in 2024.

There will be four pools made up of four teams, with the winner of each pool progressing to the final. This is in contrast to the three pool of four last year, avoiding the slight discontent that arose from Argentina’s progression to the semi-final by being the runner-up with the most points, earning a four-try bonus point in a heavy defeat to France to sneak past England.

The route to greatness is clear 🏆

16 teams. One goal. The World Rugby Junior World Championship is back for 2026 🔥#JuniorWorldChampionship pic.twitter.com/0i8etBYWgd

— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) January 15, 2026

There will also be a change on the pitch, with World Rugby trialling the sternum as the new legal tackle height for players.

Two matches will get the tournament underway on June 27, as Argentina U20 face USA U20 at the Avchala Stadium in Tbilisi, and Italy U20 face Scotland U20 at the AIA Arena in Kutaisi. The curtain will be brought down three weeks later with the final on July 18 at the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi.

World Rugby chair Brett Robinson said: “We are thrilled to unveil the Junior World Championship, a bold new identity for one of our most important competitions. Expanding to 16 teams underlines our ambition to grow the game globally and provide more opportunities for emerging talent to experience world-class rugby.

“Georgia has proven to be an outstanding host in the past, and we look forward to working closely with them again to deliver a truly world-class tournament that celebrates the future of our sport and unearth the next generation of international stars.”

Georgian Rugby Union president Davit Kacharava said: “We are proud and excited to welcome the World Rugby Junior World Championship back to Georgia in its bold new format. Hosting this prestigious competition across Tbilisi and Kutaisi, two vibrant cities, and three fantastic venues, is a privilege for our proud rugby nation. We are ready to showcase the very best young rugby talent and deliver thrilling matches that fans will remember for years to come.”