WXV Global Series launched on eve of RWC 2025 semi-finals

World Rugby, member unions and the International Rugby Players Association have unveiled WXV Global Series, the second iteration of the women’s Test competition they hope will build on the success of Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.

The WXV Global Series will run between 2026-28 and feature 18 of the world’s best teams – as decided by the World Rugby Women’s Rankings at the end of WXV 2024 – split into two divisions.

The top 12 nations – Australia, Canada, England, France, Italy, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, USA and Wales – will compete in a home-and-away, cross-regional touring model in a newly aligned international window in September and October. Teams will play at least four matches.

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Unions will retain domestic commercial rights to their home fixtures, with World Rugby suggesting that recognised the “importance of growing the value of the women’s game in each country, and supporting reinvestment in player pathways and national programmes”.

Brazil, Fiji, Hong Kong China, the Netherlands, Samoa and Spain, meanwhile, will meet in a single destination in both 2026 and 2028. World Rugby will fund those tournaments.

The WXV Global Series is also integrated into Women’s RWC 2029 qualifying. Hosts Australia are guaranteed their place at the tournament alongside this weekend’s four semi-finalists, England, Canada, France and New Zealand.

They will be joined in Australia by eight regional qualifiers and the two highest-ranked unqualified nations. The remaining spot will be decided by the second division tournament in 2028, which will function as a Final Qualification Tournament (FQT).

In 2027, moreover, there will be additional fixtures for teams who are not involved in the British and Irish Lions Women’s Tour to New Zealand. According to World Rugby, that means there are guaranteed to be over 100 matches contested by the top 18 teams between 2026-28.

World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson said: “The launch of the WXV Global Series marks another landmark moment for the women’s game, following what will be an era-defining Women’s Rugby World Cup in England, that will change the global landscape for women’s rugby.

“It delivers on our commitment to raise standards, provide consistent and competitive fixtures, a clear international calendar that prioritises welfare, and create sustainable commercial outcomes for the women’s game globally. Working closely with players and unions, this model creates the platform for women’s rugby to reach its full potential on and off the field.”

World Rugby Director of High Performance Nicky Ponsford, also commented: “This announcement builds on the growing momentum in women’s rugby. With the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 in England set to be the most attended and most viewed tournament in history, we now look ahead to the semi-final weekend with real excitement.

“The WXV Global Series offers unions, players and domestic leagues certainty for the next three years. It will also support the development of teams ensuring quality competition across the cycle.”