New WXV Global Series era starts here

With Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029 on the horizon, 18 nations set out on a new global adventure.

World champions England will kick off an exciting new stage of WXV rugby in September, when they host Australia in Salford, north-west England, on the opening weekend of the all-new WXV Global Series presented by Mitsubishi Electric.

During the eight-week global window from 12 September through to 31 October, the 12 top-ranked sides in the world – Australia, Canada, England, France, Italy, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, USA, and Wales – will take part in a home-and-away cross-regional touring WXV Global Series.

Scotland face Women’s Rugby World Cup finalists Canada in Edinburgh, while France play New Zealand in Lyon on the first of 10 match days spread across September and October, and taking in venues from the Scottish capital to New Zealand’s South Island, via eastern Canada, southern USA, south-eastern Australia, and the west of Ireland.

Mouth-watering match-ups for the first WXV Global Series include back-to-back matches in October between reigning world champions England and the side they beat in the final at London’s Allianz Stadium in September 2025, Canada; the four cross-hemisphere games between the third and fourth-placed sides at WRWC 2025, New Zealand and France; the first two competitive meetings between South Africa and Ireland since September 2006; Scotland against Australia home and away; and eighth versus sixth as USA take on Italy in Nashville.

In total, more than 100 internationals will take place in the three years leading up to Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029 Australia, including a total 36 in this autumn’s globe-trotting international window alone.

Challenger Series

While the world’s 12 top-ranked sides travel the globe in the home-and-away travelling series, the next six leading nations in the fast-growing women’s game – Fiji, Hong Kong China, Netherlands, Samoa, Spain and Brazil – will go head-to-head in a three-week WXV Global Series Challenger tournament at Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong, as WXV evolves from a three- to a two-level system.

Spain will take on Fiji to kick off the first of three consecutive triple-header match days on 13 September at the ultra-modern venue, before Hong Kong China take on Brazil and Netherlands face Samoa.

Samoa will then take on Spain, and Fiji will face Hong Kong China, while Brazil meet Netherlands a week later at the same venue.

And the 2026 WXV Global Series Challenger rounds off with Fiji v Netherlands, Hong Kong China v Samoa and Spain v Brazil on 26 September.

Nations not involved in the inaugural British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand in 2027 will take part in crossover fixtures, pitting WXV Global Series Challenger sides against those on the main WXV Global Series.

And this new two-tier format means more competitive matches for fans to enjoy at the grounds and on TV in the lead-up to Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029.

Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029 qualification

Following the unqualified success of WRWC 2025, when crowd numbers and TV audiences exploded, qualifying for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029 will be the main target for the teams competing in the WXV Global Series events.

Five places are already taken. First-time hosts Australia, two years after they welcome the world for the men’s tournament, as well as the top four sides from WRWC 2025 – England, Canada, New Zealand, and France – are assured of their places, leaving 13 teams to vie for 11 open slots.

Eight of those remaining open slots will be filled through 2027 regional competitions, while the two best non-qualified teams, according to World Rugby Women’s Rankings at the end of the 2027 international window will also qualify, leaving the final place to be decided at the WXV Global Series Challenger 2028.

Between now and then, every win – every point – counts. For every team.