The key players in rugby union have agreed on a preliminary plan for the Nations Championship, which will see the inaugural finals held in London and Qatar, with the potential for a future move to the United States. Under these groundbreaking proposals, expected to be finalized later this month, Twickenham will host the first Nations Championship final in 2026, followed by a biennial six-match series in Qatar in 2028. There is also an option to shift the event to America in 2030.
Qatar had initially hoped to host the first four Nations Championship finals and secured exclusive negotiating rights with the 12 largest unions this summer, offering guaranteed returns of £800m. However, their bid was thwarted by the Irish and French unions, who expressed concerns about attendance uncertainties and Qatar's human rights record. The revised plan is viewed as a compromise, with the first final being held at Twickenham to address concerns that the sport might be sold to the highest bidder.
The Six Nations and southern hemisphere unions are nearing a heads-of-term agreement on a four-year contract, confirming London and Qatar as the hosts for 2026 and 2028, respectively. There is also an option for a second four-year deal that could bring the 2030 finals to the USA before returning to Qatar in 2032, contingent on meeting specific commercial and media rights targets. All Qatar games would be held in Doha, while USA Rugby would conduct a tender process to determine the 2030 host, with the MetLife Stadium in New York considered a leading candidate.
This new deal allows the unions to capitalize on the financial benefits offered by Qatar while ensuring a more secure launch event in London. It also provides an opportunity for significant promotional efforts ahead of the Rugby World Cup in the United States in 2031. The Middle East and USA are identified as key growth markets for the sport, with the women's World Cup also scheduled to be held in America in 2033.
The financial incentives from Qatar are substantial, particularly for the southern hemisphere unions, which have faced significant annual losses in recent years. Even the Rugby Football Union has financial worries, despite securing a £100m naming-rights deal for Twickenham with Allianz. The financial projections for hosting the Nations Championship finals in Qatar are reportedly three times higher than those for London. Rotating the host venue is expected to generate the additional income needed to fund the finals as a playoff series involving 12 teams.
The Six Nations teams will play three home and three away matches against the Sanzaar nations and two other teams—likely Japan and Fiji—in July and November to determine the playoff lineups. The sixth-ranked European team will face its southern hemisphere counterpart, with the fifth-ranked teams also meeting, and so on, culminating in a grand final to decide the championship winners. For the 2026 event in London, Twickenham, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and the Stoop are being considered as potential venues, given the need for a variety of stadium sizes.
Negotiations have been ongoing for several months, but unions are aiming to finalize the agreement by the end of October to begin selling broadcast rights. The sale of TV rights has been challenging for rugby in recent years, so the unions want ample time to secure a deal for this new competition.
