World Rugby Open to Supporting Future Six Nations Match in United States

What happened: World Rugby would support any Six Nations nation that wanted to move a future championship match to the United States, BBC Sport reported. The governing body's position is not an announcement of a scheduled fixture, but it signals a willingness to help unions explore the idea as rugby prepares for two World Cups on American soil.

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The United States will stage the men's Rugby World Cup in 2031 and the women's tournament in 2033. World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin pointed to the commercial performance of major international matches in the country, including the sold-out fourth and final Test between South Africa and New Zealand in their Greatest Rivalry series at Baltimore's 71,000-capacity M&T Bank Stadium.

According to the BBC's account of Gilpin's comments to the Daily Telegraph, the Baltimore match has economics comparable to a Six Nations fixture. Gilpin said that result shows financial return need not prevent major matches from being staged in the United States if the relevant teams have the appetite to do so.

Why it matters: Gilpin used a possible Italy-Ireland fixture as an illustration because both countries have significant expatriate fan bases in places such as Boston and New York. He stressed that this was not a live proposal. He also acknowledged the balance required between reaching supporters in the United States and serving fans in the teams' home countries.

Rugby's recent American events provide evidence of demand. Ireland recorded their first victory over New Zealand before a capacity crowd of about 60,000 at Chicago's Soldier Field in 2016, and their 2025 rematch was also described by the BBC as a commercial success. New Zealand have additionally played the United States in Washington and Fiji in San Diego during the past decade.

What comes next: Any venue switch would be decided by the competing unions, not imposed by World Rugby. The schedules for the men's and women's 2027 Six Nations have already been set, so no immediate change is indicated. Wales played home matches at Wembley in 1998 and 1999 while their stadium was being built, but moving a Six Nations fixture across the Atlantic would be unprecedented in the tournament's 143-year history.