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The popularity, both in-person and among TV viewers, of the ongoing Women’s World Cup has seen World Rugby announce the launch of a new WXV Global Series.

World Rugby, national member unions and the International Rugby Players Association hope the new WXV Global Series will transform the global women’s rugby calendar.

The WXV Global Series introduces a new format featuring the top 18 national teams in the world and looks to increase “meaningful competition and calendar harmony, driving long-term performance and commercial sustainability in the women’s game”.

The top 12-ranked teams (Australia, Canada, England, France, Italy, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, USA, Wales) will compete in a home-and-away, cross-regional touring model within a new September – October international window.

Meanwhile, teams 13-18 (Brazil, Fiji, Hong Kong China, Netherlands, Samoa, Spain) will play their fixtures in a single destination in 2026 and 2028, funded by World Rugby. Rankings to determine positions in the Series were set at the end of WXV 2024 and teams will remain fixed in these through the 2026–28 cycle, as agreed with participating unions.

The structure of the 2027 season will allow teams to face new opponents, with additional fixtures for unions not involved in the British and Irish Lions Women’s Tour to New Zealand.

WXV Global Series overview

• 18 national teams across two competitions
• Top 12 teams to play in a home-and-away cross-regional model from 2026–28
• Teams will play between four and six fixtures annually within the new September–October test window
• Teams 13-18 to compete in a funded, centralised annual tournament hosted at a single destination
• Cross-over fixtures to take place in 2027 around the British and Irish Lions Women’s Tour
• Over 100 international matches to be played across the three-year cycle
• Touring unions retain commercial rights to home fixtures
• Integrated into the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029 qualification pathway

Women’s World Cup 2029 Australia Qualification

Qualification for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029 in Australia will be determined through a combination of: RWC 2025 standings (with Canada, England, France and New Zealand having qualified after making the semi-finals),  eight teams through 2027 regional competition results, two teams through world rankings at the end of the 2027 Global Competition Window, and one final spot decided by the WXV Global Series 2028 centrally hosted competition for teams 13-18, which will function as a Final Qualification Tournament (FQT).

World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson said: “The launch of the WXV Global Series marks another landmark moment for the women’s game, following what will be an era-defining Women’s Rugby World Cup in England, that will change the global landscape for women’s rugby.”

“It delivers on our commitment to raise standards, provide consistent and competitive fixtures, a clear international calendar that prioritises welfare, and create sustainable commercial outcomes for the women’s game globally. Working closely with players and unions, this model creates the platform for women’s rugby to reach its full potential on and off the field.”

Images: Simon Durrant/ bc magazine
Additional reporting: World Rugby