Nations Championship: Fiji to play home games in Europe

Fiji will begin rugby union’s inaugural Nations Championship with a “home” game against Wales in Cardiff on July 4, officials announced.

The match will take place at the 28,000-capacity Cardiff City Stadium rather than the city’s Principality Stadium, the base of the Wales rugby side.

The biennial Nations Championship will feature leading teams from both the northern and southern hemispheres.

It will replace ad hoc tours and one-off tests, giving more meaning to internationals played in the July and November windows, outside of major tournaments.

The bulk of the July block of fixtures will be staged in the southern hemisphere.

But a statement issued this week said playing their games against Wales, England and Scotland in July would provide “an unprecedented opportunity for Fiji Rugby”, one of the sport’s financially poorer nations, “to generate significant commercial returns”.

Premier League football club Everton’s Hill Dickinson ground in Liverpool will stage the England match but the Scotland game will take place at a traditional rugby venue in Murrayfield.

Fiji Rugby Union chief executive Koli Sewabu said playing games overseas would “enable us to invest more into grassroots rugby supporting the continued growth and success of the team”.

Fiji beat Wales 24-19 when the teams last met at the Principality Stadium in a 2024 November international.

Wales coach Steve Tandy said a Nations Championship opener “away” to Fiji in Cardiff would be “incredible”, adding: “We know they like a fast, free-flowing game and I’m sure it’ll be an exciting match for fans.”

Nations Championship - Southern Series fixtures

Round one

Saturday July 4

Japan v Italy, 6pm, Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, Tokyo

All Blacks v France, 7.10pm, Te Kaha, Christchurch

Australia v Ireland, 9.45pm, Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney

Sunday July 5

South Africa v England, 3.40am, Ellis Park, Johannesburg

Fiji v Wales, 6am NZST (Sun 5 Jul) – Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff

Argentina v Scotland, 7am, Estadio Kempes, Córdoba

Round two

Saturday July 11

Japan v Ireland, TBC, Venue TBC

All Blacks v Italy, 5.10pm, Hnry Stadium, Wellington

Australia v France, 9.45pm, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Sunday July 12

Fiji v England, 1:10am, Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool

South Africa v Scotland, 3.40am, Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria

Argentina v Wales, 7am, Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario

Round three

Saturday July 18

Japan v France, 6pm, Japan National Stadium, Tokyo

All Blacks v Ireland, 7.10pm, Eden Park, Auckland

Australia v Italy, 8pm, Perth Rectangular Stadium

Sunday July 19

South Africa v Wales. 3.40am, Kings Park Stadium, Durban

Fiji v Scotland, 7am, Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh

Argentina v England, 7am, Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades