Japan Beat Fiji to Win Pacific Nations Cup 2026
Eddie Jones's side won 20:15 in Tokyo, avenging two straight final defeats to Fiji and claiming their first title since 2019, rising to ninth in the World Rugby rankings.
Japan beat Fiji 20:15 in the final of the Pacific Nations Cup 2026 on 19 September at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium in Tokyo.
It was the third straight final between the two sides. Japan lost 17:41 in Osaka in 2024 and 27:33 in Salt Lake City in 2025. This time Eddie Jones's side got their revenge and ended the losing run.
The title is Japan's fourth in the competition's history and their first since 2019.
The win also lifted Japan three places in the World Rugby rankings, to ninth, their highest position since March 2023.
This year's Pacific Nations Cup was the 18th edition of the tournament. The field was cut to four teams — Japan, Fiji, the United States and Canada — to make room for the 2026 Nations Championship.
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