The Italian National Rugby Union has confirmed the venues for its three home fixtures in the inaugural Nations Championship this November. The Azzurri will face South Africa, Argentina, and Fiji across matches at Allianz Stadium in Torino, Luigi Ferraris Stadium in Genova, and Bluenergy Stadium in Udine.
This is the first edition of a new biennial tournament bringing together the world's top 12 rugby powers, and Italy's participation marks a significant moment for the sport in the country. Major international rugby returns to Italy for the third consecutive autumn, with these three venues now established as recurring hosts for high-profile test matches.
The Matches
Italy's November campaign opens on Saturday, November 7, at 12:40 PM when South Africa's Springboks—reigning World Cup champions—visit Torino. The match represents one of the sternest challenges in world rugby, exposing the gap between European Tier 1 nations and southern hemisphere elite.
A week later, on Saturday, November 14, at 12:40 PM, Argentina arrives in Genova. This fixture carries historical significance and competitive intensity characteristic of recent Italy-Argentina encounters.
The series concludes on Saturday, November 21, at 5:40 PM, when Fiji comes to Udine. This match will be critical for Italy's final standings in the championship table before the finals weekend determines rankings for all 12 participating nations.
The Nations Championship Format
The Nations Championship replaces traditional, loosely organized autumn and summer test windows with a unified competition. The 12 participating nations are split into two conferences: the Northern Hemisphere, comprising the Six Nations teams (England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales), and the Southern Hemisphere, which includes the four Rugby Championship nations (Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa) plus Fiji and Japan.
Each team plays all six opponents from the opposing conference, three at home and three away, across two international windows in July and November. Points are awarded on a 4-2-0 basis for win-draw-loss, with bonus points available for scoring four or more tries or losing by fewer than 8 points.
The competition culminates in a Finals Weekend at Twickenham on November 27–29, where teams face off based on final standings to determine the overall champion and all placings from 1st to 12th.
Italy's July Foundation
Before hosting these November opponents, Italy's Azzurri faced three away fixtures under head coach Gonzalo Quesada: against Japan in Tokyo on July 4, New Zealand in Wellington on July 11, and Australia in Perth on July 18. These matches exposed the squad to top-tier rugby and provided crucial preparation for the November home stand.
What Comes Next
Ticket details are expected to be published on the Italian Rugby Federation website (federugby.it) in the coming days. All three matches will be broadcast exclusively on Sky Sport and streamed live via NOW and SkyGo.
Following the November fixtures, Italy's final standing in the inaugural Nations Championship will be determined at Twickenham. For residents across northern Italy, the matches offer a chance to participate in a genuinely global sporting event that will shape international rugby's hierarchy for years to come.
