100 days until Nations Championship Finals
With 100 days to go, the countdown to the inaugural Nations Championship Finals Weekend has officially entered its countdown stretch, with more than 100,000 tickets already sold for the landmark three-day festival of international rugby taking place at Allianz Stadium, London from 17-19 November.
The Finals Weekend will determine the dominant rugby hemisphere in international rugby, while also recognising the top team in the world in 2026, who will lift the inaugural Nations Championship trophy.
To mark the milestone, the Nations Championship Trophy has toured some of London's most recognisable landmarks, including The Mall, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, St Paul's Cathedral and The Shard.
Nations Championship features the 12 strongest teams in international rugby, divided into Northern and Southern Hemisphere groups. A Southern Series followed by a Northern Series, all featuring cross-hemisphere matches, will determine the table standings for each hemisphere group and therefore seedings for the Finals weekend at Allianz Stadium in London.
Nations Championship so far
Part one – the Southern Series was played in July with 18 matches and was hosted by the Southern Hemisphere. Part two – the Northern Series [7, 14 and 22 November] - will see a further 18 matches played across the UK, Ireland, France and Italy to determine the final hemisphere table standings.
Presently, the Southern Hemisphere group is headed by the only two unbeaten teams, South Africa and New Zealand, after their three matches and have 15 points each. The Northern Hemisphere group is headed by France with two victories and 12 points, followed by Scotland on 11 points and England on 10 points who have also both won two matches. Bonus points could well determine the finals standings.
Ultimately every fixture and victory matters. The teams finishing in corresponding positions across the Northern and Southern Hemisphere groups will face each other, creating six head-to-head contests across the Finals weekend at Allianz Stadium. The points awarded from each Finals match victory determining the dominant rugby hemisphere.
SANZAAR CEO Brendan Morris stated:
" The milestone of 100,000 tickets sold with 100 days remaining demonstrates the strong global interest in the Nations Championship and the unique spectacle the Finals Weekend will deliver. The July matches showed exactly why the Nations Championship has captured the imagination of players, fans and nations alike and now the stage is set for the ultimate North v South finale in London.”
Tom Harrison, Six Nations Rugby CEO, added:
“The Nations Championship is establishing itself as a key pillar of the international rugby calendar and sporting landscape. July proved the strength of the new format, with teams highlighting just how exciting the sport can be, with fans responding and tuning in around the world. November stands to pick up where July left off, making the Northern Hemisphere the centre of attention for major sport".
Fans are encouraged to secure their seats as the countdown to the Finals Weekend continues. Full ticket information and available options can be found on the official Nations Championship website.
