World Rugby Nations Cup Coming To North Carolina

DJ Beal,

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (News Release) – World Rugby, USA Rugby and TEG Rugby Live today announced the inaugural World Rugby Nations Cup is coming to North Carolina this summer. The USA Eagles are set to face Zimbabwe at American Legion Memorial Stadium on July 11 in Charlotte and Spain at First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary on July 18 as world-class international rugby returns to the Tar Heel State.

Tickets for these matches will go on pre-sale on Tuesday, April 7, with general sale following on Thursday, April 9 at 10 am. Fans can registerΒ HEREΒ to get early access to tickets.

The competition sees the 12 unions who qualified for Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 compete inΒ a structured environment designed to accelerate competitiveness and create certainty ofΒ meaningful annual test fixtures with revenue opportunities. The exciting schedule balancesΒ geographic spread, player welfare, logistics cost and developmental opportunity, providing fansΒ with clarity, teams with certainty, and unions with commercial opportunities. The Nations CupΒ gives them an annual platform to test themselves against comparable opposition, refineΒ systems, and optimise experience ahead of Australia 2027.

The 12 participating unions will compete in two pools of six, ensuring a consistent, meaningfulΒ calendar across the July and November international windows.

  • Pool A – Americas & Pacific pool – features Canada, Chile, Samoa, Tonga, Uruguay, and the USA, bringing togetherΒ fast‑growing unions across both hemispheres.
  • Pool B – Europe, Asia & Africa pool – comprisesΒ Georgia, Hong Kong China, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and Zimbabwe, creating a competitiveΒ cross‑regional group with diverse playing styles and passionate supporter bases.

β€œConsistent competition for our senior national teams continues to be a primary goal at USA Rugby, as we look to grow on the global stage,” said USA Rugby CEO, Bill Goren. “The World Rugby Nations Cup and these first three fixtures at home are excellent opportunities for our Men’s Eagles, and for USA fans to gather around them. With the series kicking off during our national holiday, we’re thrilled to play as the USA and celebrate with our rugby community.”