50 Days To Go Until Nations Championship Kicks Off
As we mark 50 days until the historic debut of the inaugural Nations Championship, the JRFU are happy to confirm the kick-off times for all Brave Blossom’s fixtures – from Round One on July 4 in Tokyo to Round Six on November 21 in Edinburgh.
The Nations Championship will see the 12 strongest teams in international rugby lining up in two groups representing the Northern and Southern Hemisphere respectively, to begin their campaign to win the first-ever edition of the new biennial tournament.
The action kicks off with a blockbuster opening fixture between New Zealand and France on Saturday July 4, in Christchurch, New Zealand. The opening clash will get the ball rolling on three Saturdays of consecutive fixtures that will dominate the month of July, with Japan beginning their tournament on July 4 when they take on Italy at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo.
The tournament will feature England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales from the Six Nations competing against the four SANZAAR teams from the Southern Hemisphere – Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, alongside Japan and Fiji. Japan has secured its participation as an invited team alongside the Southern Hemisphere SANZAAR teams in 2026, 2028, and 2030.
Held every second year from 2026, the Nations Championship will take place in the existing July and November test match windows. The six Northern Hemisphere teams will tour to face the six Southern Hemisphere teams in July, while in November, the Southern Hemisphere sides will tour to face the six Northern Hemisphere sides. The competition will then culminate in an inaugural Finals Weekend held over three consecutive days from November 27 – 29, featuring three double-headers at Allianz Stadium in London.
Click HERE for information on tickets for the 2026 Nations Championship Finals Weekend.
2026 Nations Championship Japan Match Schedule
Southern Hemisphere Series
Japan v Italy
Saturday, July 4
17:40 JST
Prince Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, Tokyo
Japan v Ireland
Saturday, July 11
20:00 local (19:00 JST)
McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, Australia
Japan v France
Saturday, July 18
17:40 JST
National Stadium, Tokyo
Northern Hemisphere Series
Wales v Japan
November 7
16:40 local (01:40 JST, Nov 9)
Principality Stadium, Cardiff
England v Japan
November 14
16:40 local (01:40 JST, Nov 15)
Allianz Stadium, London
Scotland v Japan
Saturday, November 21
14:10 local (23:10 JST)
Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Finals Weekend – London 2026
November 27 – 29
Allianz Stadium
Friday, November 27
Match One: Northern Hemisphere 6th place vs Southern Hemisphere 6th place
Match Two: Northern Hemisphere 3rd place vs Southern Hemisphere 3rd place
Saturday, November 28
Match One: Northern Hemisphere 5th place vs Southern Hemisphere 5th place
Match Two: Northern Hemisphere 2nd place vs Southern Hemisphere 2nd place
Sunday, November 29
Match One: Northern Hemisphere 4th place vs Southern Hemisphere 4th place
Match Two: Northern Hemisphere 1st place vs Southern Hemisphere 1st place