Rugby Union’s first Club World Cup is set to take place in June 2028, following a memorandum of understanding between the major men’s leagues in both hemispheres, as reported by The Guardian. The competition will feature 16 teams, with eight qualifying from the Champions Cup, six from Super Rugby, and two from Japan’s Rugby League One. The format will be meritocratic, with no guarantees of representation for each country.

The Club World Cup will be held in the northern hemisphere in 2028, with subsequent editions occurring every four years. The format of the two European club cups will be adjusted every four years to accommodate the new global event. The first edition of the Club World Cup is expected to be held in June 2028, with the knockout stages of the Champions Cup being replaced by the new tournament. The participating teams will compete in a knockout format across four weekends of June.

FRANCE, A CRUCIAL POINT

The French are considered crucial to the success of the new competition, having agreed in principle to the plan. The Bouclier de Brennus, France’s beloved season finale, will be played on 28 June this year, indicating that the French are committed to the new tournament. The Japanese have not yet signed up, but their finals will be completed on the weekend of 25 May, allowing them to participate if they choose to do so. The Super Rugby final is scheduled for the weekend of 22 June, and teams will need to start their season at the end of January to complete it by the end of May.