The major men's leagues in both hemispheres have signed a memorandum of understanding to stage rugby union's first Club World Cup in June 2028. The global tournament will replace the knockout stages of the European men's champions, and teams from Champions Cup, Super Rugby, and Japan's Rugby League One will compete in a meritocratic qualification process. The competition will be held in the northern hemisphere, with subsequent editions taking place every four years.
Rugby union’s first Club World Cup is set to be staged in June 2028 after the major men’s leagues in both hemispheres signed a memorandum of understanding on the project.
Eight teams from the Champions Cup will qualify for the new global event, six from Super Rugby and two more, probably from Japan’s Rugby League One, most likely competing in a knockout format across four weekends of June. The idea of a world club championship has been years in the devising, but the breakthrough has been an agreement by all parties on the dates of the competition. Currently, the finals of the two major competitions involved, north and south, are played in June. All have agreed to move their finals to May, which will be achieved in the north by filling in the four weekends usually occupied by the Champions Cup.
As ever, it is the French who will make or break the new competition. They are understood to have come round to the idea in a meeting in November and have agreed in principle to the plan. Their beloved season finale, for theWith 26 rounds of regular competition and three rounds of knockouts, the Top 14 is by far the most fixture-heavy of the domestic leagues involved.
Rugby Union Club World Cup Major Men's Leagues Memorandum Of Understanding Knockout Stages Champions Cup Super Rugby Japan's Rugby League One Qualification Process Northern Hemisphere
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