The 2026 Autumn Internationals are underway, bringing some of the world’s biggest rugby nations together for an exciting month of international action. This year’s fixtures mark a significant change to the traditional autumn rugby calendar, with the introduction of the Nations Championship. This new competition aims to create a more competitive environment for international rugby and is set to take place during the mid-year and end-of-year international windows.

It will feature 12 nations divided into two geographical groups of six, one representing the Northern Hemisphere and one for the Southern Hemisphere. The teams making up the first group will be England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy, while the second group will feature New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, Argentina, Fiji and Japan. 


Unlike previous autumn campaigns, the 2026 tournament is spread across two international windows with the opening three rounds taking place in the mid-year window, whilst the remaining three rounds will be contested throughout November. Each team will face all six opponents from the opposite hemisphere across two windows, with the Northern Hemisphere teams travelling south in the first window and the Southern  Hemisphere teams travelling North in the second window. The results of these games will then determine each nation’s position in the standings. The competition will then conclude with a three-day finals weekend, during which teams will face their correspondingly ranked opponents from the opposite group. The two group leaders will also meet in a final at the end of November to determine the champion of the inaugural edition of the Nations Championship.

Beyond the competition itself, this will also be an important opportunity for teams to test themselves against some of their strongest international rivals in the build-up to the 2027 Rugby World Cup. Coaches will be looking to assess their squads and experiment with tactics in a tournament featuring fierce competition between some of rugby’s leading nations.

With a new format, historic rivalries, and a championship title on the line, the 2026 Autumn Internationals are set to deliver an unforgettable month of international rugby. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be a part of this historic moment. Purchase your rugby tickets with TicketKosta through our secure online booking system and witness some of the world’s leading rugby nations competing live!