London has reportedly emerged as the leading contender to host the first edition of rugby’s Nations Championship finals in 2026, after unions rejected a £800-million offer from Qatar.
England RFU CEO Bill Sweeney confirmed that Twickenham and two other London stadiums are being considered to stage the six matches, set for autumn 2026.
“We’ve talked about Plan B, the fall-back is potentially a London venue,” Sweeney was quoted by Daily Mail Sport. “You could have three matches here [Twickenham], two somewhere else and one somewhere else in London.”
Sweeney explained that Qatar’s offer was carefully evaluated but ultimately declined due to concerns over accessibility and the desire to hold the tournament in a traditional rugby market.
ICYMI – World Rugby greenlights Nations Championship
‘Both Six Nations and SANZAAR took a long time to evaluate it. There were certain aspects we were concerned with, or not entirely happy with,” he said.
“We think it [London] should be in a more accessible environment, with an established rugby market.”
However, Sweeney added that future editions could still explore international options, including the U.S. in 2030. The urgency remains to finalise a host city soon. “It’s important we get it concluded,” said Sweeney.
Meanwhile, the RFU’s decision to sell Twickenham naming rights to Allianz has faced backlash, but Sweeney defended it as a significant investment.
Photo: @Springboks/Twitter
The post Boks set for Nations cup Twickers duels appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Src: sarugbymag.co.za
