ITV Secures UK Rights for Nations Championship

ITV has secured exclusive free-to-air broadcasting rights in the United Kingdom for the first two editions of rugby's new Nations Championship, set to launch in July 2026 and return in 2028. The deal, announced Wednesday, ensures all matches from the cross-hemisphere tournament will air live on ITV's channels, providing UK viewers with comprehensive access to the competition featuring the sport's top 12 nations.

The Nations Championship, a joint venture between Six Nations Rugby and SANZAAR, merges the traditional July and November international windows into a single, competitive event held every two years. It pits the six leading European teams—England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales—against the four Rugby Championship sides—Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa—along with invited nations Fiji and Japan. The tournament begins with away matches for England, Wales, and Scotland against South Africa, Fiji, and Argentina in July, followed by home games against New Zealand, Australia, and Japan in November. Ireland, France, and Italy follow the reverse schedule, hosting the southern hemisphere teams in the autumn and traveling south in July. The event...