Schmidt to lead the Wallabies until July 2026: Nations Championship

Wallabies to Kick Off Nations Championship Against Ireland

The Wallabies are preparing for their debut in the Nations Championship, facing Ireland in their first match. The Australian team will seek revenge after the defeat suffered in Dublin, where Ireland beat them 46-19. This match marks the beginning of a tournament that promises to be a significant challenge for the Wallabies, who have experienced recent difficulties, with six losses in seven games. The championship will launch in July 2026, giving the Wallabies a considerable preparation period. Despite the current results, Joe Schmidt will remain at the helm of the team, as planned by Rugby Australia. Les Kiss, coach of the Reds, will take over at the end of that month. Schmidt will also coach the matches against France and Italy, teams the Wallabies have already faced this month. Despite the unfavorable results since the victory against South Africa in August, Rugby Australia’s management has backed Schmidt, ruling out any anticipated changes in leadership.

We are focused on the work and external pressures, and we need to ensure that we provide the right support to Joe. We believe we are on the right track.

Phil Waugh, CEO of Rugby Australia

In November 2026, Australia will participate in a series of international matches against England, Scotland, and Wales, with the added excitement of the Nations Championship. In this tournament, teams from the northern and southern hemispheres will compete, with the aim of determining a global champion. The northern and southern hemisphere teams will be ranked in separate tables, and each team will face its counterpart in the final weekend at Twickenham. The results will count towards a North versus South score, as well as determining the world champion.

Monty Ioane scores a try for Italy, beating the Wallabies’ defense. The new competition, which will be played every two years in the years without a World Cup or a British and Irish Lions tour, will provide context to the many test matches between teams from the northern and southern hemispheres in the existing July and November windows. It is expected to generate millions of dollars in ticket sales, sponsorships, and media rights, which will boost the sport and help combat the threat of the rebel event R360. The competition marks a tectonic shift in the sport and has the power to redefine the future of rugby. Fiji will play their home matches elsewhere, including South Africa and England. To accommodate the event, and the announced test series between the All Blacks and the Springboks next year, the Rugby Championship will not be played in 2026. In addition to the Nations Championship, a second-tier competition, the Nations Cup, was announced. That will once again have 12 teams and will be played simultaneously. There are no immediate prospects of promotion and relegation between the levels. Canada, Chile, Georgia, Hong Kong, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Tonga, Uruguay, the United States, and Zimbabwe have already qualified for the Nations Cup, and the twelfth team will be Belgium or Samoa.