An increase to 24 teams at the Rugby World Cup and a new Nations Championship have been announced by World Rugby.
An increase in the number of teams competing at the Rugby World Cup and a new Nations Championship have been announced by World Rugby. The men's World Cup, which comes to its conclusion in France this weekend will be increased from 20 teams competing to 24 from the next edition in Australia in 2027.A new biannual international Nations Championship involving the leading 12 northern and southern hemisphere sides will commence from 2026, along with a second division of 12 teams.
'The Six Nations unions of England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy, plus the SANZAAR nations of South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina will all form part of the new Nations Championship top division. It will be played during the July and November international windows.The remaining two places in the first division will be decided by a process to be run by SANZAAR, while the planned second division will be run by World Rugby.
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