ITV have beaten TNT Sports to the rights of the Nations Championship after making an £80million bid for two editions of the tournament which will in part be hosted at Twickenham
ITV have swooped in to claim the rights to broadcast rugby’s new Nations Championship competition. It means that fans will be able to watch the tournament for free after they beat TNT to cover the tournament, with a deal now close to being finalised.
The Nations Championship will start in 2026 and comprises of 12 teams, including England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. An £80million bid was enough to win ITV the rights, per The Times, in a major shock.
TNT were locked in as favourites, having broadcast the last two years of autumn internationals. However, ITV is reported to have made an offer to Six Nations Ltd that allows them to balance their commitment across world rugby. ITV will continue to show the Six Nations until 2029 in a shared rights deal with the BBC and will now host the first two editions of the Nations Championship in 2026 and 2028.
The 12-team tournament pits Europe’s best teams against opponents from the rest of the world. Argentina, Japan, Fiji, and Italy are all involved.
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Test matches will be played in July and November between the nations. A finals weekend will take place at Twickenham.
Next July, the Northern Hemisphere sides will travel to play three rounds of fixtures, before Southern Hemisphere sides travel north in November. Every team will play a different rival from the opposing Hemisphere group.
Points are available across the July and November fixtures and will ultimately decide the schedule of fixtures for the Nations Championship Finals Weekend.
England will take on South Africa, Fiji and Argentina in the first three rounds and host Australia, Japan and New Zealand.
“Rugby’s strongest nations have collaborated with a clear vision to grow the game, by challenging traditional ways of operating to create a tournament structure with genuine global relevance, which will unlock the true value of the sport,” said Six Nations chief executive Tom Harrison.
“The world’s biggest and best championships are defined by intense sporting drama, and the Nations Championship will stand alongside these.
“The Finals Weekend will add a totally new dimension for fans, and promises to create an incredible spectacle, crown champions, and act as a catalyst to grow rugby’s reach, globally.
“By bringing together the best teams and players in the sport and injecting another layer to the fierce cross-hemisphere rivalries, the Nations Championship will take international rugby to new heights.”
