A new identity for age-grade rugby: Junior World Championship set for Georgia in 2026

The dates, pools and match schedule have been confirmed for the expanded 16-team tournament that will be known as the World Rugby Junior World Championship from 2026.

Tournament expands to 16 teams and debuts under its new name: the World Rugby Junior World Championship

Match schedule unveiled with new format featuring four pools of four

Tbilisi and Kutaisi set to host thrilling action across five weekends from 27 June to 18 July

JWC 2026 final to be played on 18 July at the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi

First international competition to feature the new trial lowering the tackle height

World Rugby has confirmed the sport’s pinnacle annual men’s U20 competition will be rebranded from 2026 as the World Rugby Junior World Championship, an expanded 16-team tournament that builds on the proud legacy of U20 international rugby.

The competition, previously known as the World Rugby U20 Championship, will take place in Georgia from 27 June to 18 July, with five rounds of action across Tbilisi and Kutaisi.

Georgia will host the prestigious tournament for the second time, following a memorable edition in 2017 when New Zealand defeated England 64-17 in the final, a match that featured future All Blacks stars Will Jordan and Caleb Clarke.

For the first time since 2009, the tournament returns to a 16-team format, welcoming Fiji, USA, Japan and Uruguay as the highest ranked sides since the last time the U20 Trophy was played in 2024 alongside the teams that contested the 2025 edition in Italy.

Pool A: South Africa, Wales, Georgia, Uruguay

Pool B: New Zealand, Italy, Scotland, Japan

Pool C: Argentina, England, Ireland, USA

Pool D: France, Australia, Spain, Fiji

The four pool winners will progress to the semi-finals, while second-placed teams will compete for fifth to eighth place. Third and fourth-placed teams will contest rankings from ninth to 12th and 13th to 16th respectively, with seeding based on pool-stage competition points.

VIEW POOLS AND FULL MATCH SCHEDULE >>

Kutaisi steps up as a major host, staging two pools and welcoming former champions New Zealand and France to the AIA Arena. Avchala Stadium in Tbilisi will host Pools A and C, featuring defending champions South Africa, former winners England and hosts Georgia.

Finally, the knockout stages will be played across two days per round, culminating in the third-place play-off and final at Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi on 18 July.

World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson said: “We are thrilled to unveil the Junior World Championship, a bold new identity for one of our most important competitions. Expanding to 16 teams underlines our ambition to grow the game globally and provide more opportunities for emerging talent to experience world-class rugby.

“Georgia has proven to be an outstanding host in the past, and we look forward to working closely with them again to deliver a truly world-class tournament that celebrates the future of our sport and unearth the next generation of international stars.”

Georgian Rugby Union President Davit Kacharava said: “We are proud and excited to welcome the World Rugby Junior World Championship back to Georgia in its bold new format. Hosting this prestigious competition across Tbilisi and Kutaisi, two vibrant cities, and three fantastic venues, is a privilege for our proud rugby nation. We are ready to showcase the very best young rugby talent and deliver thrilling matches that fans will remember for years to come.”

Innovation in player welfare

The Junior World Championship 2026 will also mark a significant step forward in player welfare, becoming the first international competition to feature a trial of lowering the tackle height. This initiative, designed to enhance safety and reduce head contact, builds on successful trials at community and domestic levels.