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2026 WXV

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2026 WXV Global Series & Challenger
Tournament details
HostVarious (Global Series)
Hong Kong (Global Series Challenger)
Dates12 September – 31 October 2026
Teams18 (12 in Global Series, 6 in Global Series Challenger)
Websitewxvrugby.com

The 2026 WXV Global Series and 2026 WXV Global Series Challenger are the inaugural editions of the two successors to WXV, consisting of fixtures for women's national teams organised by participating national unions and World Rugby. Replacing the original three-tier WXV tournament, this new structure moves the top 12 nations into a home-and-away cross-regional touring model (the WXV Global Series), while six emerging nations compete at a single host venue funded by World Rugby (the WXV Global Series Challenger).[1][2]

The 2026 editions are the first year of a fixed three-year cycle running from 2026 to 2028, fully aligned with the qualification pathway for the 2029 Women's Rugby World Cup.[1]

Background

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The WXV Global Series was announced in September 2025 during the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup in England. The rankings used to determine positions in the series were set at the end of 2024 WXV, and teams remain fixed in these throughout the 2026–2028 cycle, as agreed with participating unions.[1]

Format

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The top 12 teams compete in home-and-away touring fixtures arranged directly between member unions, with each team playing between four and six matches within an eight-week global window from the second week of September to the last week of October. Unions retain domestic commercial rights to their home fixtures.[1][3]

The six emerging nations compete at Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong from 13 to 26 September, with triple-header matchdays on 13, 19 and 26 September.[1][4][5]

World Rugby has also confirmed that the women's-specific size 4.5 ball trial, which began at the 2025–26 SVNS, will be extended to the 15-a-side game through these competitions.[5]

There is no promotion or relegation between the Global Series and the Challenger during the 2026–2028 cycle.[1]

WXV Global Series

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2026 WXV Global Series
Tournament details
HostVarious
Dates12 September – 31 October 2026
Teams

The 2026 WXV Global Series features home-and-away touring fixtures arranged between member unions across the September–October international window. The 12 participating nations remain fixed in the series for the 2026–2028 cycle with no promotion or relegation.[1][2]

Participating nations

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Nation Stadium Competition Regional association World Rugby ranking
Home stadium Capacity Location
 Australia Stadium Australia 80,000 Sydney Pacific Four Series Oceania 9
Canberra Stadium 25,011 Canberra
 Canada BMO Field 28,351 Toronto Pacific Four Series North America 3
TD Place Stadium 24,000 Ottawa
 England Twickenham Stadium 82,000 London Six Nations Europe 1
CorpAcq Stadium 11,404 Sale
Sandy Park 15,600 Exeter
 France Stade de Gerland 35,029 Lyon Six Nations Europe 4
Stade Maurice David 8,787 Aix-en-Provence
Stade Marcel-Deflandre 18,000 La Rochelle
 Ireland Tallaght Stadium 10,547 Dublin Six Nations Europe 5
Dexcom Stadium 10,500 Galway
 Italy Stadio Omero Tognon 5,000 Fontanafredda Six Nations Europe 6
 Japan Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium 24,871 Tokyo Asia Rugby Women's Championship Asia 11
Kumagaya Rugby Ground 25,600 Kumagaya
 New Zealand Waikato Stadium 25,800 Hamilton Pacific Four Series Oceania 2
Okara Park 18,500 Whangārei
Te Kaha 25,000 Christchurch
 Scotland The Hive 7,800 Edinburgh Six Nations Europe 7
 Spain Instalaciones deportivas La Cartuja [es] 1,500 Seville Rugby Europe Women's Championship Europe 14
 South Africa Athlone Stadium 34,000 Cape Town Rugby Africa Women's CupAfrica10
 United States Texas Health Mansfield Stadium 7,000 Mansfield Pacific Four Series North America 8
Geodis Park 30,109 Nashville
Sports Illustrated Stadium 25,000 Harrison
 Wales Cardiff Arms Park 12,125 Cardiff Six Nations Europe 12

Fixtures

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Fixtures are arranged directly between member unions.

Confirmed test series
HomeAwayNo.DatesDetailsRef.
 France New Zealand112 SeptemberSeries details[6]
 Australia119 September
 Canada126 September
 England Australia112 SeptemberSeries details[7][8]
 Canada119 September
 New Zealand126 September
 Scotland Canada112 SeptemberSeries details[9][10]
 New Zealand119 September
 Australia126 September
 Wales South Africa118 SeptemberSeries details[11]
 United States126 September
 Italy Japan119 SeptemberSeries details[12]
 South Africa126 September
 Ireland United States120 SeptemberSeries details[13][14]
 Japan127 September
 Canada England216–23 OctoberSeries details[15]
 Spain South Africa14 OctoberSeries details[16][17]
 Australia Scotland217–23 OctoberSeries details[9]
 New Zealand France317–31 OctoberSeries details[18]
 United States Italy217–24 OctoberSeries details[19]
 England130 October
 South Africa Ireland224–31 OctoberSeries details[13][20]
 Japan Wales224 OctoberSeries details[21]

Match week 1 (12 September)

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12 September 2026England v AustraliaCorpAcq Stadium, Salford
12 September 2026Scotland v CanadaEdinburgh Rugby Stadium, Edinburgh
12 September 2026France v New ZealandStade de Gerland, Lyon

Match week 2 (18–20 September)

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18 September 2026Wales v South AfricaCardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
19 September 2026Italy v JapanStadio Omero Tognon, Fontanafredda
19 September 2026England v CanadaSandy Park, Exeter
19 September 2026France v AustraliaStade Maurice David, Aix-en-Provence
19 September 2026Scotland v New ZealandEdinburgh Rugby Stadium, Edinburgh
20 September 2026Ireland v United StatesTallaght Stadium, Dublin

Match week 3 (26–27 September)

[edit]
26 September 2026Italy v South AfricaStadio Omero Tognon, Fontanafredda
26 September 2026England v New ZealandTwickenham Stadium, London
26 September 2026Wales v United StatesCardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
26 September 2026Scotland v AustraliaEdinburgh Rugby Stadium, Edinburgh
26 September 2026France v CanadaStade Marcel-Deflandre, La Rochelle
27 September 2026Ireland v JapanDexcom Stadium, Galway

Match week 4 (4 October)

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4 October 2026Spain v South AfricaInstalaciones deportivas La Cartuja, Seville

Match week 5 (16–17 October)

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16 October 2026Canada v EnglandBMO Field, Toronto
17 October 2026Australia v ScotlandStadium Australia, Sydney
17 October 2026New Zealand v FranceWaikato Stadium, Hamilton
17 October 2026United States v ItalyTexas Health Mansfield Stadium, Mansfield

Match week 6 (23–24 October)

[edit]
23 October 2026Australia v ScotlandCanberra Stadium, Canberra
23 October 2026Canada v EnglandTD Place Stadium, Ottawa
24 October 2026New Zealand v FranceOkara Park, Whangārei
24 October 2026Japan v WalesPrince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo
24 October 2026South Africa v IrelandAthlone Stadium, Cape Town
24 October 2026United States v ItalyGeodis Park, Nashville

Match week 7 (30–31 October)

[edit]
30 October 2026United States v EnglandSports Illustrated Stadium, Harrison
31 October 2026New Zealand v FranceTe Kaha, Christchurch
31 October 2026Japan v WalesKumagaya Rugby Ground, Kumagaya
31 October 2026South Africa v IrelandAthlone Stadium, Cape Town

WXV Global Series Challenger

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2026 WXV Global Series Challenger
Tournament details
Host Hong Kong
Dates13 – 26 September 2026
Teams

The 2026 WXV Global Series Challenger will take place at Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong from 13 to 26 September 2026, with triple-header matchdays on 13, 19 and 26 September.[4][22][5] The competition is fully funded by World Rugby and uses the cross-pool format of the previous WXV system, with two pools of three teams each playing the three teams from the other pool.[1][2]

Participating nations

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Nation Competition Regional association World Rugby ranking
 BrazilN/a[a]South America
 FijiOceania Rugby Women's ChampionshipOceania
 Hong Kong ChinaAsia Rugby Women's ChampionshipAsia
 NetherlandsRugby Europe Women's ChampionshipEurope
 SamoaOceania Rugby Women's ChampionshipOceania
 SpainRugby Europe Women's ChampionshipEurope

Pools

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The pools have been arranged as follows:

Fixtures

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Fixtures are scheduled for 13, 19 and 26 September 2026 at Kai Tak Sports Park, Hong Kong.[5][23][better source needed]

Match week 1 (13 September)

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12:00
13 September 2026		Spain v FijiKai Tak Youth Sports Ground, Hong Kong
15:30
13 September 2026		Hong Kong China v BrazilKai Tak Youth Sports Ground, Hong Kong
19:00
13 September 2026		Netherlands v SamoaKai Tak Youth Sports Ground, Hong Kong

Match week 2 (19 September)

[edit]
12:00
19 September 2026		Samoa v SpainKai Tak Youth Sports Ground, Hong Kong
15:30
19 September 2026		Fiji v Hong Kong ChinaKai Tak Youth Sports Ground, Hong Kong
19:00
19 September 2026		Brazil v NetherlandsKai Tak Youth Sports Ground, Hong Kong

Match week 3 (26 September)

[edit]
12:00
26 September 2026		Fiji v NetherlandsKai Tak Youth Sports Ground, Hong Kong
15:30
26 September 2026		Hong Kong China v SamoaKai Tak Youth Sports Ground, Hong Kong
19:00
26 September 2026		Spain v BrazilKai Tak Youth Sports Ground, Hong Kong

See also

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Notes

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  1. ↑ South America does not have a competition structure for their national women's XV teams

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "World Rugby and 18 national unions launch landmark WXV Global Series". World Rugby. 18 September 2025. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 Orchard, Sara; Telfer, Alastair (18 September 2025). "WXV Global Series: Women's home nations gain control of autumn games". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  3. ↑ "World Rugby announces launch of WXV Global Series". Rugby Football Union. 18 September 2025. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  4. 1 2 Ball, Josh (19 April 2026). "World Rugby boss hails Hong Kong's 'global influence' at WXV announcement". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 19 April 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Hong Kong set to host WXV Global Series Challenger in 2026". World Rugby. 19 April 2026. Retrieved 19 April 2026.
  6. ↑ "Billetterie" [Ticket office]. Billetterie France Rugby (in French). Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  7. ↑ "Red Roses' WXV Global Series home fixtures announced". Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  8. ↑ Latham-Coyle, Harry (23 March 2026). "Red Roses to host New Zealand, Canada and Australia in WXV Global Series". The Independent. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Wallaroos set for historic 2026 Test season". Rugby Australia. 10 December 2025. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  10. ↑ "Scotland reveal full WXV Global Series schedule for 2026". Rugby Pass. 13 May 2026. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  11. ↑ Welsh Rugby Union [@WelshRugbyUnion] (7 May 2026). "This September, our Welsh Women return to home soil for the WXV Global Series" (Tweet). Retrieved 13 May 2026 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  12. ↑ "Aperta la vendita dei biglietti per Italia-Giappone e Italia-Sudafrica nelle WXV Global Series, in programma a settembre a Fontanafredda - Federazione Italiana Rugby" [Tickets are now on sale for the Italy v Japan and Italy v South Africa matches in the WXV Global Series, scheduled to take place in September in Fontanafredda]. Federazione Italiana Rugby (in Italian). 25 June 2026. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  13. 1 2 "WXV Global Series: Ireland to face South Africa in Cape Town Tests". BBC Sport. 16 June 2026. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  14. ↑ "Ireland Kick Off WXV Global Series On Home Soil". Irish Rugby. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  15. ↑ "Canada's women's rugby team to debut at BMO field this October to host #1 England for the rugby rematch tour, presented by Canadian Tire". Rugby Canada. 27 April 2026.
  16. ↑ "Extended Springbok Women squad named for remainder of season | SA Rugby". springboks.rugby. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  17. ↑ "Entradas ya a la venta: acompaña a Las Leonas en su histórico primer partido en Sevilla ante Sudáfrica". Real Federación Española de Rugby - FERugby - Spanish Rugby Union (in Spanish). 19 August 2026. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  18. ↑ "Black Ferns set for trois-Test showdown as France returns to Aotearoa in 2026". All Blacks. 3 December 2025. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  19. ↑ Burke, Jenni (23 June 2026). "USA Eagles tour stateside with Tests in Texas, Tennessee and New Jersey". eagles.rugby. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  20. ↑ "Springbok Women to host Ireland in Cape Town". SA Rugby. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  21. ↑ Coleman-Phillips, Ceri (18 May 2026). "Women's Six Nations: What next for Wales after another winless campaign?". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 May 2026.
  22. ↑ Harvey, Joe (19 April 2026). "WXV Global Challenger Series coming to Hong Kong in 2026". Rugby Pass. Retrieved 19 April 2026.
  23. ↑ "Matches". WXV. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
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