Match Official Appointments For 2026 Nations Championship & Nations Cup

World Rugby has confirmed the appointments of the Match Officials for the 2026 Nations Championship Southern Hemisphere Series taking place in July, and the Nations Cup in the Americas.

Photo Credit – HKCR

With one month to go until the inaugural Nations Championship and Nations Cup, the match officials have been confirmed for the tournaments, which feature Japan competing in the Nations Championship, and Hong Kong China in the Nations Cup.

World Rugby confirmed it will be supporting its Social Impact Partner, ChildFund Rugby, with visibility across match officials’ jerseys during the Nations Championship.

2026 Nations Championship Match Officials

Sixteen referees from eight nations will take charge of the 18 Nations Championship matches played from 4-18 July, 2026. In total, 35 officials from 11 nations will be involved.

Luke Pearce (England) will referee the opening match, New Zealand v France at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch on 4 July. Katsuki Furuse (JRFU) will be an AR.

• Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand) and Nic Berry (Australia) have been handed two matches.
• Hollie Davidson will become the first Scottish official to referee 50 tests when she takes charge of Fiji v England in Liverpool, and the third female to reach the milestone.
• Angus Gardner (Australia) will take charge of the final test of this phase of the Nations Championship, Argentina v England in Santiago del Estero on 18 July.
• Katsuki Furuse (JRFU) is the only Asian match official announced. He will be an AR for New Zealand v France (July 4th), and Australia v France (July 11th).

Brave Blossoms Match Appointments – 2026 Nations Championship

Japan v Italy – Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo (Saturday, 4 July, 2026)

• Referee: Nic Berry (RA)
• Assistant Referee 1: Luc Ramos (FFR)
• Assistant Referee 2: Sam Grove-White (SRU)
• TMO: Ian Tempest (RFU)
• FPRO: Andrew Jackson (RFU)

Japan v Ireland – Newcastle, Australia – Saturday, 11 July, 2026

• Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)
• Assistant Referee 1: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)
• Assistant Referee 2: Morné Ferreira (SARU)
• TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
• FPRO: Ian Tempest (RFU)

Japan v France – Tokyo National Stadium, Tokyo – Saturday, 18 July, 2026

• Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)
• Assistant Referee 1: Andrea Piardi (FIR)
• Assistant Referee 1: Luke Pearce (RFU)
• TMO: Glenn Newman (NZR)
• FPRO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)

All of the appointments for the Nations Championship 2026 can be seen here.

2026 Nations Cup Match Officials

Nine referees from seven nations will be involved in the 18 matches hosted in July across North and South America for the debut Nations Cup. Craig Evans (Wales) will referee the opening match of the Nations Cup 2026 in exactly one month, between Uruguay and Georgia at Estadio Charrúa in Montevideo on 4 July.

• Seven referees will have two matches each across the three weeks
• Damián Schneider (Argentina) will have three matches.

There are no match officials from Asia involved.

HKCR Match Appointments – 2026 Nations Cup

Samoa v Hong Kong China – Estadio Nacional Julio Martinez Paradinos, Santiago, Chile – Saturday, 4 July, 2026

• Referee: Angus Mabey (NZR)
• Assistant Referee 1: Jordan Way (RA)
• Assistant Referee 2: Caua Ricardo (CBRU)
• TMO: Tual Trainini (FFR)

Chile v Hong Kong China – Estadio Sausalita, Vina del Mar – Saturday, 11 July, 2026

• Referee: Craig Evans (WRU)
• Assistant Referee 1: Tomas Ninci (UAR)
• Assistant Referee 2: Federico Longobardi (UAR)
• TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)

Uruguay v Hong Kong China – Estadio Charrua, Montevideo – Saturday, 18 July, 2026

• Referee: Adam Leal (RFU)
• Assistant Referee 1: Tomas Ninci (UAR)
• Assistant Referee 2: Caua Ricardo (CBRU)
• TMO: Dan Jones (RFU)

All of the appointments for the Nations Cup 2026 can be seen here.

2026 Rugby Tournament News

• Brave Blossoms 2026 Test against Ireland in the Nations Championship to be held in Australia.
• Hong Kong China Men’s XV Head To South America for July World Rugby Nations Cup 2026 Fixtures.
• Understanding The Nations Championship 2026.
• Understanding The World Rugby Nations Cup 2026.