Six Nations and SANZAAR have publicly outlined their ambitious plans to launch a new international rugby tournament in three years.
The competition, featuring all Six Nations and SANZAAR teams plus two invitational unions, would take place every other year in the existing July and November international rugby windows, in non-World Cup and Lions tour years.
It would be owned and operated by Six Nations and SANZAAR, the body which oversees Super Rugby and The Rugby Championship on behalf of South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina, while World Rugby would create a new second-tier competition with a view to facilitate promotion and relegation between the competitions.
The public statement comes after rugby’s major stakeholders met in London this week at a World Rugby-hosted summit to discuss the future global calendar for each of the women’s and men’s game. Work will continue this year, with the hope that decisions on the international global season structure will be taken by the World Rugby Council at its interim meeting in Paris in October.
Six Nations and SANZAAR's full statement, issued on Saturday morning, reads: "Six Nations Rugby and SANZAAR are working in partnership, alongside global rugby stakeholders, to bring to life a new international rugby competition that will be played in the existing July and November Test windows. The creation of the new competition has been a collective process from the sport, including World Rugby, Unions, key leagues, competitions, and crucially, the International Rugby Players.
"Set to begin in 2026, the new elite competition will feature all the Six Nations Rugby and SANZAAR teams, with two spaces reserved for invitational unions to join the southern hemisphere group. A transparent selection process will be managed by SANZAAR, supported by World Rugby and the International Rugby Players, to determine these two invitational unions.
"Owned and operated by Six Nations Rugby and SANZAAR, the elite competition will take place in alternating years, outside of the British & Irish Lions Tours and Rugby World Cup.
"Involved at every stage of developing the new competition, has been the International Rugby Players. This connection has been key in supporting the wider conversations around the club and international calendar taking place in parallel, and to ensure player welfare has remained a fundamental priority in all decision making.
"To strengthen the development pathway for emerging nations, World Rugby will create a second-tier competition that will feature teams from Europe and the rest of the world, with Six Nations Rugby and SANZAAR actively involved in cementing the link between the two divisions. Establishing the two competitions will pave the way for promotion and relegation matches, contributing towards a valuable pathway for teams, and will support ambitions to sustain and grow the global game.
"The introduction of the new elite international competition is testament to the strong ambition from all parties, motivated by delivering context and a stronger narrative around the July and November windows, that can genuinely excite players and bring new fans to the game. The impact this will have on the game will be to drive its growth and long-term sustainability. This runs alongside the work being done to add greater clarity and balance to the club and international calendar; a process Six Nations Rugby and SANZAAR remain committed to help deliver."
