World Rugby announced plans for the Women’s 15s game for the new-look WXV Global Series 2026-2028, in which both Japan and Hong Kong China will be competing in two different versions of the women’s international rugby competition.
World Rugby said the “WXV Global Series will transform the international calendar and fuel momentum from this Rugby World Cup onto the next one and beyond.” The tournament will now feature the world’s best 18 teams in a fixture schedule that will see more than 100 matches played between 2026 and 2028. The governing body added that this will provide “certainty of competition on the road to Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029.”
World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin stated, “The women’s game is definitely an engine for growth. It will help us open new markets, attract new investment, and drive our sport forward globally.”
The format has been decided upon after consultation and in partnership with national unions and the International Rugby Players Association. World Rugby added that WXV Global Series will aim to capitalise on this “growth trajectory and strengthen elite competition, drive participation, and build long-term sustainability for women’s rugby worldwide.”
WXV Global Series 2026-2028 Format
World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson said: “The launch of the WXV Global Series delivers on our commitment to raise standards, provide consistent and competitive fixtures, 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.”
Top 12 Teams – Includes Japan
The top 12 Women’s 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 newly aligned September – October international window.
- Unions will retain domestic commercial rights to their home fixtures, recognising the importance of growing the value of the women’s game in each country, and supporting reinvestment in player pathways and national programmes.
Teams 13-18 – Includes Hong Kong China
Women’s teams ranked 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 will determine positions, and teams will remain fixed in these through the 2026–28 cycle, as agreed with participating unions.
In the 2027 season, teams will face new opponents, with additional fixtures for unions not involved in the British and Irish Lions Women’s Tour to New Zealand.
Sally Horrox, World Rugby Chief of Women’s Rugby, said at the final media conference after the RWC 2025 final. “The game around the world is mostly amateur and transitioning to semi-professional in a number of countries, and there are a very small number of countries that are professional, and each has a different model.
WXV was developed in partnership with unions, so the unions requested the number of games they wanted to play, the opposition they wanted to play, and the travel distances that they wanted to commit to. So we have worked closely with all the countries in agreeing on that.
We need to close that gap with our unions and work really closely through them, not around them. We absolutely should not be treading on their toes, but we need to find a way to support the game, take the key learnings from this competition, share them with our union partners, so that we can then take that into that new fandom and help them to grow the game.”
WXV Global Series Key Information
- Features the world’s best 18 teams in a fixture schedule with over 100 matches between 2026-28.
- Top 12 teams to compete in a home-and-away touring model.
- Teams 13-18 will compete at a single destination, funded by World Rugby
- Teams will play between four and six fixtures annually within the new September–October test window
- Cross-over fixtures to take place in 2027 around the British and Irish Lions Women’s Tour
- Touring unions retain commercial rights to home fixtures
- Integrated into the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029 qualification pathway
You can see more here from the Q&A on the Future of the Women’s Game press conference when the new WXV was announced.
Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029 Qualification Pathway
The new WXV Global Series is aligned with the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029 qualification pathway, and the governing body says the competition offers “clear progression opportunities for teams across both levels and all six of World Rugby’s regions.”
Australia, as the host union, have qualified for the RWC 2029. Other qualifications for the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029 in Australia will be determined through a combination of:
- Four Teams qualified via the RWC 2025 standings – Canada, England, France, and New Zealand have qualified after making the semi-finals
- Eight teams – Will qualify through 2027 regional competition results
- Two teams – Will qualify through world rankings at the end of the 2027 WXV Global Series
- One final team – Will be decided by the WXV Global Series 2028 centrally hosted competition for teams 13-18, which will function as a Final Qualification Tournament (FQT).
Asian Representation – WXV
Photo Credit – JRFU – RWC 2025
Hong Kong China, and Japan Sakura XV will both be competing in the new WXV format and represent the Asian region.
Japan Sakura 15 just competed at the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, are the reigning Asian champions, and competed in WXV2 in 2024. It is widely believed that current Head Coach Lesley McKenzie will leave her role when the contract and cycle ends in 2025.
Hong Kong China Women’s XVs are currently 16th in World Rugby’s global rankings and finished 5th place at the WXV3 competition in Dubai in October 2024, and were runners-up in the Asia Rugby Emirates Women’s Championship in Japan held in May 2025.
HKCR said online that they will be playing two uncapped matches in Germany in November 2025 at Fritz-Grunebaum-Sportpark in Heidelberg.
- Hong Kong China vs Germany – Saturday 15 November
- Hong Kong China vs Belgium – Saturday 22 November
HKCR are currently seeking a Head of Women’s XVs Technical Rugby.
Photo Credit – HKCR
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