Online Reporter
Brandon Moyo, Zimpapers Sports Hub
AS Zimbabwe build toward the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, the Sables have been handed a major boost. They will take part in the World Rugby Nations Cup, a global competition that kicks off in July 2026 and is meant to sharpen teams heading for the expanded tournament Down Under.
World Rugby said preparations for the event are now well advanced, with 11 of the 12 participants confirmed. The competition is designed to give unions already qualified for the World Cup meaningful Test rugby through the July and November windows, helping them close the gap on the game’s established powers.
The Nations Cup sits at the heart of World Rugby’s broader international calendar. It lines up performance gains and revenue growth as key pillars and is meant to give teams a clear, regular platform to compete. It also carries a deeper narrative for nations outside the major annual competitions, while maintaining links with the top level Nations Championship.
For 2026, the Nations Championship will bring together all Six Nations Rugby sides from the north and pit them against Sanzaar’s Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, along with two invitational teams, Japan and Fiji. The Nations Cup mirrors that structure, only for the tier just below. Both divisions will run crossover fixtures in 2027, leading into the World Cup, and again in 2029 during the British and Irish Lions year.
Zimbabwe join Canada, Chile, Georgia, Hong Kong China, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Tonga, Uruguay and the USA as confirmed qualifiers for the 2027 World Cup. All secure their Nations Cup berths through that qualification pathway, with Chile the latest to clinch their place.
“World Rugby exists to unite people and grow the game through iconic events like the men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups and through strategic investment in programmes that expand rugby’s reach, relevance and impact. The new international calendar, featuring the men’s Nations Championship, World Rugby Nations Cup and WXV Global Series for the women’s game, is central to that mission.
Combining with the top level Nations Championship, the World Rugby Nations Cup provides a strong platform for our performance unions to grow through certainty of test match content competition, competitiveness and commercial revenue for the first time, which in turn will lead to stronger outcomes at Men’s Rugby World Cup, the financial engine that drives the growth of the game from the grassroots up,” said World Rugby chairperson, Brett Robinson.
Zimbabwe booked their return to the global stage by winning the Africa Cup in Uganda in July. That victory sent them to their first World Cup in more than 30 years and has now opened the door to a far richer international programme as they prepare for 2027.
