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A biennial competition featuring all 10 teams from the Six Nations and Rugby Championship is set to start in 2026.<\/span><\/p>\n It will be played in the existing July and November Test windows in alternate years, outside of British and Irish Lions tours and the World Cup.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Two more unions will be invited to join, with plans to introduce promotion and relegation from 2030 via a second-tier competition run by World Rugby.<\/span><\/p>\n Organisers say the move will “drive growth and long-term sustainability”.<\/span><\/p>\n The tournament will feature England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy from the Six Nations and Rugby Championship teams South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina – collectively known as Sanzaar.<\/span><\/p>\n Six Nations and Sanzaar organisers said there would be a “transparent selection process” to choose two more teams from the southern hemisphere to ensure there are six from each.<\/span><\/p>\n Although no format has been confirmed, reports suggest teams from the north would travel south for three Tests in July and then host three games in November. <\/span><\/p>\n The Six Nations would remain in its current February-March position on the calendar and the Rugby Championship would still be played in August-September.<\/span><\/p>\n “The creation of the new competition has been a collective process from the sport, including World Rugby, unions, key leagues, competitions, and crucially, the International Rugby Players (IRP),” said the Six Nations and Sanzaar.<\/span><\/p>\n “Establishing the two competitions will pave the way for promotion and relegation matches, contributing towards a valuable pathway for teams, and will support ambitions to sustain and grow the global game.<\/span><\/p>\n “The impact this will have on the game will be to drive its growth and long-term sustainability. <\/span><\/p>\n “This runs alongside the work being done to add greater clarity and balance to the club and international calendar; a process Six Nations Rugby and Sanzaar remain committed to help deliver.”<\/span><\/p>\n Rugby <\/span>leaders met in London this week<\/span><\/a>, when it was announced that a decision would be made on the sport’s future global calendar by the World Rugby Council in October.<\/span><\/p>\n Representatives from World Rugby, the British and Irish Lions, the Six Nations, and the Rugby Championship, along with stakeholders from IRP, the unions and professional leagues all attended.<\/span><\/p>\n The IRP <\/span>tweeted its views on the talks<\/span>