The Rugby Championship will not be played in 2026 but will appear on the global calendar for the following three years, including a full version ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, the organisers have confirmed.

The competition is contested between South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina (SANZAAR), traditionally between August and October.

South Africa is the current holder, having won the last two editions, but there has been speculation over the competition's future with the rise of other events.

It will not be staged next year as New Zealand tour South Africa for multiple Tests billed as a showdown between rugby's two major superpowers, while there is also the launch of World Rugby's new Nations Championship in the July and November windows.

That has squeezed

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