2026 Bledisloe Cup

2026 Bledisloe Cup
EventBledisloe Cup series
New Zealand Australia
First test
New Zealand Australia
Date10 October
VenueEden Park, Auckland
Second test
Australia New Zealand
Date17 October
VenueStadium Australia, Sydney

The 2026 Bledisloe Cup is a two-test rugby union series held between Australia and New Zealand in October 2026. Usually contested in the Rugby Championship (since 1996), the rugby union trophy was held as a standalone series due to the restructuring of the Rugby Championship from its usual annual format following the New Zealand tour of South Africa,[1][2] which excluded 2026 and 2030 editions.

Background

Beginning in 2022, the Bledisloe Cup was reduced to two tests from three, a mutual decision by Rugby Australia (RA) and New Zealand Rugby (NZR).[3][4] These test matches, with the exception of Rugby World Cup (RWC) years, would make up two of the fixtures in the Rugby Championship. In 2025 it was announced that the Rugby Championship format would be restructured from its annual format in 2026 and 2030[5][6] with New Zealand and South Africa confirming reciprocal tours for those years.[7] Rugby Australia confirmed the Wallabies' 2026 schedule, which would still include their traditional Rugby Championship opponents and a tour of Argentina.[8] The prospect of cross-SANZAAR tours as a replacement for the Rugby Championship between 2027 and 2028, as reported by The Sydney Morning Herald,[9] was scrapped after lobbying efforts from RA CEO Phil Waugh at a SANZAAR meeting in London. This meant the Rugby Championship would remain unchanged for 2027, 2028, and 2029.[10]

Venues

Australia's home test for the Bledisloe Cup series was revealed in November 2025 following Rugby Australia's release of the Wallabies' 2026 schedule.[8] At the time of the announcement, their home venue, Stadium Australia, had only played host to three test since 2020: two against New Zealand, one against the British & Irish Lions in 2025. New Zealand announced their test schedule the following month, revealing Eden Park as the venue to host the opening match of the 2026 Bledisloe Cup.[11]

Auckland
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490km
304miles
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2 #Stadium Australia
2 #Stadium Australia
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1 #Eden Park
1 #Eden Park
Series venues:
Eden Park
Capacity: 60,000
Sydney
Stadium Australia
Capacity: 83,000

Test series

First test

Assistant referees:[12]
Luke Pearce (England)
Damián Schneider (Argentina)
Television match official:[12]
Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Foul play review officer:[12]
Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)

Second test

Assistant referees:[12]
Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Damián Schneider (Argentina)
Television match official:[12]
Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
Foul play review officer:[12]
Mike Adamson (Scotland)

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Rugby Championship scrapped for 2026 due to Test calendar squeeze". ABC News. 16 October 2025. Archived from the original on 26 December 2025.
  2. ↑ "SANZAAR Confirms New and Exciting International Rugby Calendar 2026–2030". super.rugby. SANZAAR. 16 October 2025.
  3. ↑ Cully, Paul (24 February 2022). "Bledisloe Cup reduced from three to two Tests a year". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  4. ↑ Payten, Iain (24 February 2022). "'Agreed on both sides': Marinos says cutting a Bledisloe Cup Test was mutual decision". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  5. ↑ "Rugby Championship scrapped for 2026 due to Test calendar squeeze". ABC News. 16 October 2025. Archived from the original on 26 December 2025.
  6. ↑ "SANZAAR Confirms New and Exciting International Rugby Calendar 2026–2030". super.rugby. SANZAAR. 16 October 2025.
  7. ↑ "Springboks and All Blacks reignite traditional tours". sarugby.co.za. South African Rugby Union. 16 October 2025. Archived from the original on 28 October 2025.
  8. 1 2 Williamson, Nathan (26 November 2025). "Wallabies confirm Test schedule for 2026 season". Rugby.com.au. Rugby Australia. Archived from the original on 26 December 2025.
  9. ↑ Cully, Paul (21 September 2025). "Rugby Championship to be turfed under massive SANZAAR tours shake-up". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 22 September 2025. That two-game format is likely to continue, although there is also the enticing prospect of a three-test tour in 2028: either the Wallabies heading to New Zealand, or the All Blacks coming to Australia.
  10. ↑ Payten, Iain (16 October 2025). "Late Australian lobbying saves Rugby Championship from the chop". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment. Archived from the original on 24 October 2025.
  11. 1 2 "All Blacks 2026 home Test venues announced". allblacks.com. New Zealand Rugby. 9 December 2025. Archived from the original on 8 December 2025.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Appointments | Men's internationals 2026". world.rugby. World Rugby. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  13. ↑ "Wallabies Test schedule locked in for 2026". Destination NSW. 26 November 2025. Archived from the original on 27 December 2025. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
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