Rugby’s emerging nations are finally getting a bigger stage.
The World Rugby Nations Cup launches in 2026 and is designed to give developing and ambitious rugby countries more meaningful fixtures ahead of Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia.
The competition features nations from the Americas, Pacific, Europe, Africa and Asia, including Canada, Chile, Samoa, Tonga, Uruguay, USA, Georgia, Hong Kong China, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Zimbabwe.
Why this matters
For years, one of rugby’s biggest problems has been the gap between the established powers and everyone else. Smaller and emerging nations often arrive at World Cups with talent, passion and identity, but without enough regular high-level fixtures to build consistency.
The Nations Cup is an attempt to solve that problem. It gives these teams more structure, more visibility and more meaningful preparation.
That matters because the expanded Rugby World Cup in 2027 will only be as strong as the teams outside the traditional elite.
The teams to watch
Georgia remain one of the great standard-bearers for emerging rugby. Portugal lit up the last World Cup cycle with ambition and attacking skill. Uruguay and Chile continue to grow the South American rugby story. The USA has enormous long-term potential, especially with a home World Cup coming in 2031.
Then there are Samoa and Tonga, two proud Pacific rugby nations with huge cultural and historical importance to the game.