World Rugby Nations Cup 2026/27

The World Rugby Nations Cup operates as a global second-tier rugby union competition organized by World Rugby, distinct from regional tournaments due to its direct link to the top-tier global championship. Unlike the Pacific Nations Cup or the Americas Rugby Championship, which focus on specific geographic areas, this competition includes emerging nations from Europe, Africa, and the Americas, providing a unified pathway for development.

In November 2025, World Rugby announced a new iteration launching in 2026, running concurrently with the top-tier Nations Championship. The competition features teams that qualified for the 2027 Rugby World Cup but are not part of the Nations Championship. These participants are divided into two geographic pools: the Americas-Pacific pool and the Europe-Africa-Asia pool. The inaugural 2026 and 2028 editions utilise a round-robin format within these pools, crowning a champion from each group without knockout finals.

A significant differentiator is the scheduled promotion and relegation system. Beginning in 2030, playoffs will involve the bottom teams of the hemispheric Nations Championship pools and the top teams of the corresponding Nations Cup pools. This structure contrasts with the original tournament, initially named the IRB Nations Cup, which ran from 2006 to 2019. That earlier version featured a single round-robin format with no finals, where the winner was determined by standings. Romania holds the record for the most titles in the original era with four wins, followed by Uruguay and South Africa A/Kings with three each.

The current roster includes Portugal, Uruguay, Chile, Zimbabwe, Samoa, and Georgia. While the historic edition concluded in 2019 with Uruguay winning the final title, the revived competition aims to bridge the gap between Tier 1 and Tier 2 nations on a global scale. The format ensures that performance in the second tier can directly influence access to the elite international stage through the upcoming playoff mechanisms.