London (AFP) - Rugby chiefs on Monday officially launched the Nations Championship, a global competition featuring 12 of the strongest teams that will crown a winning nation and decide the sport’s dominant hemisphere.

Organisers said that the new biennial tournament signalled a “watershed moment for rugby union, years in the making”, and would transform the two existing international playing windows, in July and November.

The Nations Championship, which starts in July 2026, will replace ad-hoc tours and one-off Tests, giving more meaning to internationals played outside of major tournaments.

The Six Nations teams will represent the northern hemisphere, and face the SANZAAR nations (South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina), plus Japan and Fiji, representing the southern hemisphere.

Each side will play six maches, taking on each of their hemisphere rivals from the opposing group before a Nations Championship Finals Weekend, to decide the tournament champion and winning hemisphere.

London will host the inaugural Finals Weekend, with three days of double-headers at Twickenham between November 27-29, 2026.

The top-ranked team in the northern hemisphere group, and the top-ranked team representing the southern hemisphere will battle for the title.

Teams will also be competing to earn points for their group to decide the winning hemisphere.

Organisers said that the championship would inject “jeopardy and context into every fixture”.

Tom Harrison, CEO of Six Nations Rugby, said: “The Nations Championship has the power to redefine the future of rugby, and the partnership between Six Nations Rugby and SANZAAR signals a tectonic shift in the sport.

“Rugby’s strongest nations have collaborated with a clear vision to grow the game, by challenging traditional ways of operating to create a tournament structure with genuine global relevance, which will unlock the true value of the sport.”

Brendan Morris, CEO of SANZAAR, said that the establishment of the Nations Championship was a “historic and exciting move”.

- ‘More than bragging rights’ -

The first round of Nations Championship fixtures, on July 4, 2026, includes a series of blockbuster matches, with world champions South Africa hosting England, France travelling to New Zealand and Australia facing Ireland.

Rian Oberholzer, CEO of SA Rugby, said that the championship would mean every Test counted “for more than just bragging rights and world ranking points”.

New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson said that the Nations Championship would bring an edge to the traditional Test windows and usher in a “new era for international rugby”.

“Fans want to know who the best team is between World Cups and the Nations Championship will deliver a champion,” he said.

The championship will take place in years that do not feature the Rugby World Cup or tours by the British and Irish Lions.

Australia will host the next World Cup in 2027, while the Lions are scheduled to tour New Zealand in 2029.

The launch of the championship comes as part of World Rugby’s push to better align the global calendar.

Ronan Dunne, co-chair of the Nations Championship, said: “The Nations Championship, and its introduction into the international rugby calendar, is a transformational moment for the entire sport, and demonstrates the power of collaboration.

“The tournament will bring together the very best from across the game, elevating rugby on a global scale, but its power to alter the sport’s trajectory and usher in a new era of sustained growth stands to be a hallmark of the Nations Championship.”