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'An historic moment': World Rugby confirms major rugby calendar reform

The All Blacks perform the Haka at Tickenham. Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images

With the Rugby World Cup final just days away, World Rugby has confirmed some exciting changes to the men’s and women’s international rugby calendars which has been described as the “most significant” reform since the sport went professional.

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In a statement released by the sport’s governing body on Tuesday, World Rugby revealed major reform which includes dedicated women’s and men’s calendars for the first time.

Among the changes in the women’s game, World Rugby will continue to review the global calendar “on an ongoing basis” as they continue to recognise “that fast-evolving environment and opportunity.”

Knockout

New Zealand
South Africa
11 - 12
Final
Argentina
New Zealand
6 - 44
SF1
England
South Africa
15 - 16
SF2
Wales
Argentina
17 - 29
QF1
Ireland
New Zealand
24 - 28
QF2
England
Fiji
30 - 24
QF3
France
South Africa
28 - 29
QF4

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The World Rugby Council has also approved a new international competition in the men’s game which is sure to pique the interest of fans. Played in the July and November international windows, the best teams from both hemispheres will go head-to-head.

This new-look global competition will feature both Six Nations and Rugby Championship sides, as well as two further unions to be selected by SANZAAR. A second division run by World Rugby will be made up of 12 teams with promotion and relegation will commence from 2030.

“The World Rugby Council has approved transformational reform of the global men’s and women’s rugby calendars, a seminal moment for the sport that marks a new era of opportunity, certainty and growth for the game, a fitting finale to its 200th birthday year,” the World Rugby statement reads,

“Reform of Regulation 9 governing international player release has paved the way for the global club and international game to complement each other with clearly defined windows of release for international duties, as well as enhanced player welfare outcomes in the form of Player Load Guidelines.

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“Shaped through close collaboration with the players and stakeholders from across the whole sport, including domestic and international competitions, regions, unions, the adjustments have been driven by a game-wide commitment to prioritise player welfare while supporting desired competitiveness increases across performance unions.

“In the women’s game, the decision means clearly defined global and regional player release periods for the first time with no domestic competition overlap, opening the way to a harmonious structure that promotes opportunity and growth ahead of an expanded 16-team Rugby World Cup in 2025.

“In the men’s game, new competition structures coupled with an increased level of cross-over fixtures between the high performance and performance unions, will deliver long-term certainty of content for the first time, supporting increases in competitiveness, interest and value ahead of a landmark Rugby World Cup in the USA in 2031.

“Together, these developments crucially allow for better management of player load and overall welfare in the game, with the development of new Player Load Guidelines and ongoing expert input to oversee the development and evolution of the guidelines working with all stakeholders.

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The statement continues below.

First-ever global calendar for women’s rugby with dedicated release windows

  • First-ever dedicated international release windows (regional release window of seven weeks and global release window of eight weeks) from 2025.
  • Clarity of release periods for club/league and cross-border competitions, to allow certainty of planning and investment.
  • A commitment to more effectively manage player load and welfare in the fast-evolving women’s game, working with all stakeholders
  • A framework to review the women’s global calendar and international competition structures on an ongoing basis to recognise that fast-evolving environment and opportunity.

First-ever global calendar for men’s rugby with new competitions and increased opportunity

  • Establishment of an enhanced global calendar for men’s rugby with clearer international windows, including confirmation of the release window for Rugby World Cup 2027 (Australia)
  • Expansion of Rugby World Cup to 24 teams in 2027, providing more qualification opportunities for more teams and regional competitions.
  • Launch of a bi-annual new international competition from 2026, comprising a top division of 12 teams (Six Nations unions, SANZAAR unions and two further unions to be selected via a process run by SANZAAR), and a second division run by World Rugby of 12 teams with promotion and relegation commencing from 2030. Played in the July and November international release windows, it will provide crucial opportunities (and certainty of fixtures) for unions currently outside of the existing annual competitions, and in turn provide opportunities for unions and regional associations through to the second division.
  • The competition provides players and fans with compelling matches, to build audiences and value for all.
  • A significant uplift in the number of cross-over matches between unions in the respective
  • divisions are included in the global calendar in the two other years, providing performance nations with annual competition certainty against high performance unions.
  • Launch of new annual expanded Pacific Nations Cup competition in 2024, featuring Canada, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga and USA with home fixtures and Japan and USA alternating as finals hosts, guaranteeing a minimum of three additional matches a year in addition to the new international competition and cross-over fixtures. The global men’s calendar provides additional clarity for elite league and cross-border

According to the statement, the announcement “follows extensive consultation with the professional game, including regions, unions, domestic and international competitions, and detailed evaluation of the playing, commercial and fan landscape.”

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont described the reform as a “historic moment.”

“It is fitting that we finish Rugby World Cup 2023, the sports’ greatest celebration of togetherness, with the sport’s greatest feat of togetherness,” Beaumont said in the statement.

“Agreement on the men’s and women’s global calendars and their content is the most significant development in the sport since the game went professional. An historic moment for our sport that sets up collectively for success.

“We now look forward to an exciting new era for our sport commencing in 2025 (women) and 2026 (men). An era that will bring certainty and opportunity for all. An era that will support the many, not the few, and an era that will supercharge the development of the sport beyond its traditional and often self-imposed boundaries.

“I would like to thank all my colleagues for their spirit of collaboration. Today, we have achieved something special.”

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Comments

31 Comments
P
Poe 569 days ago

I don't suppose they did anything on residency qualifications to prevent national teams fielding 40% bought in talent?

P
Poe 569 days ago

Interested to see how the money works out. If any of it trickles south.

W
Willie 570 days ago

Turning World Rugby Administration into a global structure will do more good than tinkering at the edges with a new competition.

Too much control by too few for far too long!

E
Emery 570 days ago

Well we will have to see how it goes I guess, I hope there’s some crossover tours in the years between with 2nd teir teams.

F
FM 570 days ago

Ok, so 6 nations V the South. Always looking after 6 nations. Why on earth is Italy, and for that matter Scotland comfortably tucked into this? Why didn’t WR agree on a relegation/promotion into the 6 nations for the so-called 2nd tier nations in the north? Oh, dear, we cannot possibly upset the cigar smoking port drinkers, can we!

B
Barry 569 days ago

Australia have done very well out of this, all the same.

R
Robert 570 days ago

Why the pop at Scotland FM?

J
JD Kiwi 570 days ago

Because World Rugby doesn't decide anything, the national unions (& in practice the rich clubs) do. And the Celts/Italians were never going to risk relegation from the cash cow 6 Nations.

T
Tom 570 days ago

Because relegation from the six nations would completely destroy Italian rugby.


Other teams deserve to be included but relegating Italy isn't the right thing to do.

B
Barry 570 days ago

Open draw? SH v NH only? Who deicides home and away fixtures? Can we finally now get rid of the Lions tours? I’d have preferred a 16 team world cup over the same time period. Don’t understand how widening the net will improve standards.

J
JD Kiwi 570 days ago

Why on earth would you want to get rid of Lions tours, the biggest event in rugby outside the World Cup?

j
johnz 570 days ago

Does relegation extend to the top league or just the second division. That would be interesting. Who would be the first tier one nation to go down? Wales? Australia? Italy?

f
fl 570 days ago

also, how will relegation and promotion work? I sincerely hope that 2 teams are automatically relegated every cycle. Otherwise we could have a situation where Samoa and Georgia dominate the second tier but consistently lose play-off games to italy/fiji/whoever, and so never get a chance to progress

O
OL 570 days ago

The World League will kill the game

H
Head high tackle 569 days ago

How? NZ, Aus etc play 4 NH teams every year now plus the RC so now it will be 6 NH sides plus RC. How will that kill the game?

B
Barry 570 days ago

Certainly has the potential too. The standards of the current game at the top tier are incredible, considering how little players actually earn. At least compared to other elite sports and especially considering the risk they undertake. A colossal cash injection could unbalance it.

S
Sumkunn Tsadmiova 570 days ago

This does absolutely nothing to help us develop the game here in Bulgaria, according to my knowledgeable friends Wivbin Kuntidraitov and Pezantsz Legdova

N
NE 570 days ago

Rugby Union has become an attractive sport to earn money, sadly that’s something Bulgaria doesn’t have to attract too notch twilight players. Beautiful and fascinating country nonetheless. Enjoy.

t
tom 570 days ago

Bulgaria 😂

c
collin 570 days ago

Agreed. A new turn of events to ring-fence certain nations’ interests.

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