What can we expect from the Women’s Rugby Europe Championship 2026?

With the Rugby World Cup far in the distance, the race to qualify for the next one is already on, as Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal and Belgium are gearing for a new edition of the Women’s Rugby Europe Championship.

The only novelty for this season was Belgium taking Sweden’s place amongst the top four nations of the Women’s Rugby Europe universe, marking a return for the Lionesses almost ten years after their last appearance.

Regarding the competition’s schedule, the four contenders will play the first round on Saturday 28th March, with the second round following on April 11th, and the final on Saturday 18th April.

But what can we expect from these four proud nations at different stages of their journeys after the last World Cup cycle?

Spain
Titles: 12
Head coach: Régis Sonnes
Captain: Lourdes Alameda (lock / AC Bobigny)
Star players: Lourdes Alameda, Claudia Peña Hidalgo, Cristi Blanco Herrera

Spain are the heavy favourites once again this year, having won every single tournament since 2016 (note: the 2017 and 2021 editions of the tournament didn’t go ahead due to the 2017 World Cup and the pandemic).

After a disappointing World Cup, fans and players are not looking for a hard reset, but still a reset nonetheless for Las Leonas. The Real Federación Española de Rugby made the decision to shake up the coaching staff at the end of last year, replacing Juan Marruecos with former Stade Toulousain’s Régis Sonnes.

Sonnes, who had previously coached the Spanish men’s team in the 2010s, seeks to reignite the Las Leonas fire and set them on the right path.

“More important to us is developing a process that enables the team to achieve great results and performance,” said the Frenchman. “At the same time, there’s an urgency for us to connect and listen to each other so we can achieve our goals.”

With the retirements of Laura Delgado, Clara Piquero, Anna Puig and Alba Vinuesa, Sonnes and his staff will have to find a new way forward and reforge a team that was on the cusp of something special back in 2023.

With that being said, Spain will still be looking to secure their 13th Women’s Rugby Europe Championship trophy, and despite a number of injuries, most recently to Sale Sharks’ Alba Capell, they have enough resources in the form of Claudia Peña Hidalgo, Lourdes Alameda, Eider García and a few others to do some serious damage.

Netherlands
Titles: Zero
Head coach: Gareth Gilbert
Captain: Linde van der Velden (utility forward / Exeter Chiefs)
Star players: Inger Jongerius, Linde van der Velden, Isa Prins and Anouk Veerkamp

Can the Women Oranje finally defeat Spain to attain their second Women’s Rugby Europe Championship title? Gareth Gilbert’s side pushed their Spanish rivals to their limits last year, controlling the set-piece operations for most of the match and only conceding a 10-point margin in defeat.

The Netherlands have turned the magic words ‘set-piece’ into a key asset not only to push them closer to the opposition’s in-goal area but also to set the tone of the game.

Gilbert, who joined the women’s pathway in 2025, has picked up where Sylke Haverkorn left off, but is also seeking to develop a backline that can be as threatening and daring as Spain.

Aside from their scrum, lineout and driving maul prowess, the Dutch roster is packed with staggering talent that ranges from back-rower Isa Prins to loosehead prop Anouk Veerkamp and scrum half Esmee Ligvoet, amongst others.

Captained by the fierce and experienced Linde van der Velden, the Netherlands are an ambitious collective that has its eyes set on qualifying for the next Rugby World Cup, with their last appearance at the global event being back in 2002, before some of the squad were even born!

Portugal
Titles: Zero
Head coach: João Moura
Captain: To be determined
Star players: Sara Moreira, Maria João Costa, Adelina Costa and Zoé Fernandes

With Leonas and Women Oranje the top contenders to fight for the title, where does that leave Portugal? The Lobas, who were promoted to the main stage of the women’s Rugby Europe game in 2024, have been steadily developing their pathway and team depth over the last few years, with hopes of narrowing the gap to the top.

Coached by João Moura, the Portuguese have improved massively, particularly in their grit and ability to withstand the set-piece pressure from more seasoned sides.

Like the men’s national team, the Lobas have been on the hunt for Portuguese-French talent, with ASM Romagnat Clarisse Augusto, CA Brive Zoé Fernandes and Rugby Club Toulon PM Cloé da Costa among the most recent discoveries.

But the quality of the Portuguese team doesn’t end with those names, as athletes like former Worcester Warriors Sara Moreira, SL Benfica’s Ana Fernandes, or Sport Porto’s Elsa Santos who all play a central role in how the team performs.

Whilst challenging for the title is most likely out of the cards, the Lobas will be looking to score at least one win, with Belgium being their main target.

Belgium
Titles: Zero
Head coach: Gaëtan Kabasele
Captain: Cristina Pecoraro (flanker / Kituro)
Star players: Margaux Lalli, Jeanne Marquegnies, Pauline Gernaey and Amélie Delacourt

So, what can we expect from the newly promoted Belgium? In 2025, the Lionesses enjoyed a successful year, having won the Women’s Rugby Europe Trophy by beating Germany (23-19) and Finland (44-13) before narrowly losing against Hong Kong China in November.

Coached by Gaëtan Kabasele, Benjamin Rossignol and Jordan Posé, the Francophone nation got back to its feet and has been impressive, especially in how comfortable and confident they look when they have possession.

Despite having a lighter pack than their Championship rivals, that doesn’t mean it is a weakness, as their speed and agility make up for it, as they have proven in 2025.

As for showstoppers, flanker and skipper Cristina Pecoraro, Lille’s number eight Pauline Gernaey, centre Lisa Goossens and, of course, Ealing Trailfinders scrum-half Ella Amory are some of the Lionesses main stars.

In the year that marks the return of the Belgian women’s national team to the top of Rugby Europe competitions, a win against Portugal would be a promising sign for the future.

Fixtures
1st Round
Saturday 28th March | 3PM (GMT) – Spain vs Belgium
Sunday 29th March | 12PM (GMT) – Netherlands vs Portugal

2nd Round
Saturday 11th April | 3PM (GMT) – Portugal vs Spain
Saturday 11th April | 4PM (GMT) – Netherlands vs Belgium

3rd Round
Saturday 18th April | 2PM (GMT) – Netherlands vs Spain
Saturday 18th April | 6PM (GMT) – Belgium vs Portugal