Murrayfield Stadium is to host Scotland matches against New Zealand, Australia and Japan next autumn as part of the inaugural Nations Championship.
Gregor Townsend’s side, which is still reeling from Sunday’s collapse against Argentina in Edinburgh, will kick off their tournament next summer in the Southern Hemisphere against the Pumas, South Africa and Fiji on three consecutive weekends starting on 4 July.
The new global tournament has been created through a joint venture between Six Nations Rugby and SANZAAR, which runs the flagship international tournaments of the Southern Hemisphere, and will see the world’s strongest rugby nations compete in a unified cross-hemisphere format for the first time.
Twelve of the top-ranked rugby nations will compete in a structured competition designed to crown both a tournament champion and the dominant hemisphere every two years.
Every team plays six cross-hemisphere fixtures, with standings determining qualification for the new Finals Weekend, held in London in November 2026. The top-ranked Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere nations will compete for the title in a historic world-first championship final.
Scottish Rugby CEO, Alex Williamson, said: “The Nations Championship represents a thrilling new format for international rugby with the best teams in the world playing each other every two years.
“This tournament provides a clear, competitive structure that rewards performance, giving Scotland a fantastic global spotlight across the July fixtures whilst providing our fans with unforgettable rugby occasions back at Scottish Gas Murrayfield in November.
“Playing in Argentina and South Africa and against Fiji next summer before hosting New Zealand, Australia and Japan at Scottish Gas Murrayfield is a challenge we are delighted to have. The finals weekend at the Allianz will be a unique spectacle and will make the incredible energy that has gone into bringing this tournament to life entirely worthwhile.”
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend, said: “The new Nations Championship creates a calendar that allows us to regularly play top quality sides. The competition element to the matches will also add something special.
“The matches next year are very exciting. We will need to manage the logistics of moving from Argentina to South Africa but it’s a challenge that Rugby Championship teams take on every year and will be one we will need to adapt to.”
Scotland fixtures:
Argentina v Scotland – 4 July 2026
South Africa v Scotland – 11 July 2026
Fiji v Scotland – 18 July 2026
Scotland v New Zealand – 6-8 November 2026
Scotland v Australia – 13-15 November 2026
Scotland v Japan – 21 November 2026
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