2026 Nations Championship Schedule By Round: Every Match, Date And Time

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The inaugural 2026 Nations Championship returns Nov. 6 with 18 international rugby matches across three rounds before Finals Weekend in London from Nov. 27-29.

Ireland and Argentina open Round 4 on Friday, Nov. 6, before a loaded weekend featuring Scotland against New Zealand, France against Fiji, Wales against Japan and England against Australia.

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The competition features 12 countries divided into Northern and Southern Hemisphere groups. Each team plays six regular-season matches against opponents from the opposite hemisphere, with three rounds completed in July and three more scheduled for November.

France leads the Northern Hemisphere standings with 12 championship points, while South Africa tops the Southern Hemisphere with 15.

Here is the complete 2026 Nations Championship schedule by round, including every November fixture, U.S. Eastern kickoff time and Finals Weekend matchup.

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Nations Championship Round 4 Schedule: Nov. 6-8

Round 4 begins Friday, Nov. 6, with Ireland hosting Argentina at Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

Saturday features four matches, including the All Blacks visiting Scotland at Murrayfield and the Springboks opening their European campaign against Italy.

England closes the round Sunday against Australia at Twickenham.

All kickoff times are listed in U.S. Eastern Standard Time (ET).

  • Friday, Nov. 6: Ireland vs. Argentina - 3:10 p.m. ET - Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland.
  • Saturday, Nov. 7: Italy vs. South Africa - 6:40 a.m. ET - Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy.
  • Saturday, Nov. 7: Scotland vs. New Zealand - 9:10 a.m. ET - Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Scotland.
  • Saturday, Nov. 7: Wales vs. Japan - 11:40 a.m. ET - Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales.
  • Saturday, Nov. 7: France vs. Fiji - 3:10 p.m. ET - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France.
  • Sunday, Nov. 8: England vs. Australia - 10:10 a.m. ET - Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, London, England.

Scotland's meeting with New Zealand is particularly important to the Northern Hemisphere standings.

Gregor Townsend's side begins November just one championship point behind France, making a strong performance against the All Blacks critical to its Grand Final ambitions.

Meanwhile, South Africa and New Zealand enter the round tied on 15 points in the Southern Hemisphere standings.

Nations Championship Round 5 Schedule: Nov. 13-15

Round 5 brings another six international fixtures, beginning with a heavyweight matchup between France and South Africa at Stade de France.

The Springboks enter November first in the Southern Hemisphere standings, while France leads the Northern Hemisphere.

Ireland hosts Fiji, Wales faces New Zealand and England takes on Japan during Saturday's action.

Scotland and Australia close the round Sunday at Murrayfield.

  • Friday, Nov. 13: France vs. South Africa - 3:10 p.m. ET - Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France.
  • Saturday, Nov. 14: Italy vs. Argentina - 6:40 a.m. ET - Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa, Italy.
  • Saturday, Nov. 14: Wales vs. New Zealand - 9:10 a.m. ET - Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales.
  • Saturday, Nov. 14: England vs. Japan - 11:40 a.m. ET - Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, London, England.
  • Saturday, Nov. 14: Ireland vs. Fiji - 3:10 p.m. ET - Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland.
  • Sunday, Nov. 15: Scotland vs. Australia - 10:10 a.m. ET - Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Scotland.

France against South Africa is one of the standout fixtures of the entire November window.

Both countries begin the month leading their respective hemispheres, with potential Grand Final qualification on the line.

Nations Championship Round 6 Schedule: Nov. 21

The final regular-season round takes place Saturday, Nov. 21, with all 12 teams competing.

England hosts New Zealand at Twickenham, Ireland welcomes South Africa to Dublin and France faces Argentina in Saint-Denis.

The results will determine the final Northern and Southern Hemisphere rankings and every matchup for Finals Weekend.

  • Saturday, Nov. 21: England vs. New Zealand - 9:10 a.m. ET - Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, London, England.
  • Saturday, Nov. 21: Scotland vs. Japan - 9:10 a.m. ET - Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Scotland.
  • Saturday, Nov. 21: Ireland vs. South Africa - 11:40 a.m. ET - Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland.
  • Saturday, Nov. 21: Italy vs. Fiji - 11:40 a.m. ET - Bluenergy Stadium, Udine, Italy.
  • Saturday, Nov. 21: France vs. Argentina - 3:10 p.m. ET - Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France.
  • Saturday, Nov. 21: Wales vs. Australia - 3:10 p.m. ET - Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales.

By the end of Round 6, every country will have completed its six regular-season Nations Championship matches.

The first-place teams from the two hemispheres will advance to the inaugural Grand Final.

The remaining countries will compete in placement matches during Finals Weekend.

2026 Nations Championship Finals Weekend Schedule

All 12 teams travel to Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, London, for Finals Weekend from Nov. 27-29.

Unlike a traditional knockout tournament, the Nations Championship does not have semifinals.

Instead, countries are ranked first through sixth within their respective hemispheres after six regular-season rounds.

Each Northern Hemisphere team then faces the Southern Hemisphere country finishing in the corresponding position.

Friday, Nov. 27

  • 11:40 a.m. ET: Northern Hemisphere No. 6 vs. Southern Hemisphere No. 6.
  • 3:10 p.m. ET: Northern Hemisphere No. 3 vs. Southern Hemisphere No. 3.

Saturday, Nov. 28

  • 8:10 a.m. ET: Northern Hemisphere No. 5 vs. Southern Hemisphere No. 5.
  • 11:40 a.m. ET: Northern Hemisphere No. 2 vs. Southern Hemisphere No. 2.

Sunday, Nov. 29

  • 8:10 a.m. ET: Northern Hemisphere No. 4 vs. Southern Hemisphere No. 4.
  • 11:40 a.m. ET: Northern Hemisphere No. 1 vs. Southern Hemisphere No. 1 - Nations Championship Grand Final.

The Grand Final will crown the inaugural Nations Championship winner.

All six Finals Weekend matches also contribute to the Hemisphere Challenge, a separate competition between the Northern and Southern Hemisphere groups.

Nations Championship July 2026 Results By Round

The first three rounds took place in July, with Northern Hemisphere countries facing Southern Hemisphere opposition.

Round 1: July 4

  • New Zealand 34, France 32.
  • Japan 27, Italy 10.
  • Ireland 33, Australia 31.
  • Wales 39, Fiji 24.
  • South Africa 45, England 21.
  • Scotland 47, Argentina 38.

Round 2: July 11

  • New Zealand 47, Italy 17.
  • France 42, Australia 26.
  • Ireland 36, Japan 20.
  • England 73, Fiji 8.
  • South Africa 42, Scotland 28.
  • Argentina 35, Wales 21.

Round 3: July 18

  • New Zealand 40, Ireland 21.
  • France 42, Japan 15.
  • Australia 57, Italy 10.
  • Scotland 33, Fiji 17.
  • South Africa 43, Wales 0.
  • England 31, Argentina 24.

Those results established the standings that carry forward into November.

How Does The Nations Championship Schedule Work?

The competition features 12 countries divided into two groups.

  • Northern Hemisphere: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales.
  • Southern Hemisphere: Argentina, Australia, Fiji, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa.

Each country faces all six teams from the opposite hemisphere once.

Rounds 1-3 took place in July, with Rounds 4-6 scheduled for November.

Teams earn championship points for victories, draws and qualifying bonus-point performances.

The points earned in July carry forward into November without resetting.

After Round 6, the highest-ranked team from each hemisphere advances directly to the Grand Final.

How To Watch The Nations Championship In The United States

RugbyPass TV is the confirmed U.S. streaming destination for the 2026 Nations Championship.

American fans can follow the November matches and Finals Weekend through RugbyPass TV.

FloRugby also provides international rugby news and coverage throughout the season.

Watch International Rugby Stars Year-Round On FloRugby

While the Nations Championship streams on RugbyPass TV in the United States, fans can follow many of the same international stars throughout the professional club season on FloRugby.

FloRugby is the U.S. streaming home of the United Rugby Championship, Investec Champions Cup, EPCR Challenge Cup, Gallagher PREM, Top 14 and Japan Rugby League One.

From Springboks competing in the URC to England internationals in the Gallagher PREM and French stars in the Top 14, FloRugy gives American fans opportunities to follow elite players beyond the international calendar.

Watch professional club rugby on FloRugby and the FloSports app.

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Here are the official World Rugby Men's Rankings. Each country retains its official worldwide ranking position and ranking points.

Can I Watch Rugby All Year On FloRugby?

Yes. FloRugby offers live and on-demand rugby throughout the year with a subscription.

Fans can follow major club competitions and international rugby on FloRugby and the FloSports app. Match availability varies by region and broadcast rights.

What Rugby Competitions Can I Watch On FloRugby?

FloRugby streams the United Rugby Championship, Gallagher PREM, Top 14, Investec Champions Cup, EPCR Challenge Cup and more.

Visit the FloRugby watch schedule to explore upcoming events. Availability varies by location and competition rights.

Where Can I Find Rugby News, Schedules And Results?

FloRugby provides rugby news, schedules, results, rankings and analysis throughout the season.

Visit FloRugby.com for the latest coverage from Europe's leading club competitions and beyond.

Where Can I Follow FloRugby?

Follow FloRugby for rugby news, highlights and updates throughout the season.

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