Nations Championship Betting UK - England, Scotland and Wales in the New Global Rugby Tournament
This is our Nations Championship betting guide for UK fans: how the new tournament works, where England, Scotland and Wales stand after the July window, the November fixtures, finals weekend at Twickenham, and how to read a rugby handicap before you put money on it. The first edition runs through 2026, with a July window in the southern hemisphere, a November window at home and six finals on one weekend in London. No picks here - just the format, the record and honest maths.
The Nations Championship at a Glance
| Teams | Twelve: the Six Nations sides plus Argentina, Australia, Fiji, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa |
| Format | Two conferences of six, North and South; each team plays all six teams from the other conference, three Tests in July and three in November |
| Points | Four for a win, two for a draw, a bonus point for four or more tries and a bonus point for losing by seven or fewer |
| Finals weekend | Friday 27 to Sunday 29 November 2026, all six games at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham |
| How often | Every two years, in the years without a Rugby World Cup or a British and Irish Lions tour |
| Second tier | The Nations Cup, with twelve more nations, runs alongside it |
How the Tournament Works
In July the six northern teams travelled south; in November the six southern teams come north. Each side collects points in its own conference table, and the teams never play their own conference rivals in the pool stage, so England never meet Scotland, Wales or Ireland until finals weekend at the earliest.
When the November window closes, the two tables lock and finals weekend pairs them off position by position: sixth plays sixth, fifth plays fifth, and so on up to the Final, first against first. Every one of the twelve teams plays that weekend. The games also decide a North against South contest: the Final is worth two hemisphere points, each of the other five games is worth one, and the first hemisphere to four wins it.
| FINALS WEEKEND | THE GAME |
|---|---|
| Fri 27 Nov, 16:40 | 6th North v 6th South |
| Fri 27 Nov, 20:10 | 3rd North v 3rd South |
| Sat 28 Nov, 13:10 | 5th North v 5th South |
| Sat 28 Nov, 16:40 | 2nd North v 2nd South |
| Sun 29 Nov, 13:10 | 4th North v 4th South |
| Sun 29 Nov, 16:40 | The Final: 1st North v 1st South |
For bettors, that means nobody knows who plays whom at Twickenham until the last November round is over. Any early bet on finals weekend is a bet on the tables, not on a match.
The North Table After July
| POS | TEAM | POINTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 12 |
| 2 | Scotland | 11 |
| 3 | England | 10 |
| 4 | Ireland | 10 |
| 5 | Wales | 5 |
| 6 | Italy | 0 |
In the South, South Africa and New Zealand both won all three July Tests and lead on 15 points each, with Australia on 8, Argentina 7, Japan 4 and Fiji 0. Positions will move in November, so treat this as the starting grid, not a forecast.
England, Scotland and Wales in 2026
England
England lost 45-21 to South Africa at Ellis Park, then beat Fiji 73-8 in Liverpool with eleven tries, their biggest win over Fiji, and won 31-24 in Argentina. They finished July third in the North table on 10 points.
| KICK-OFF | MATCH | VENUE |
|---|---|---|
| Sun 8 Nov, 15:10 | England v Australia | Allianz Stadium, Twickenham |
| Sat 14 Nov, 16:40 | England v Japan | Allianz Stadium, Twickenham |
| Sat 21 Nov, 14:10 | England v New Zealand | Allianz Stadium, Twickenham |
Scotland
Scotland opened with a 47-38 win in Cordoba, the most points they have ever scored in Argentina, lost 42-28 to South Africa in Pretoria and beat Fiji 33-17. They sit second in the North on 11 points.
| KICK-OFF | MATCH | VENUE |
|---|---|---|
| Sat 7 Nov, 14:10 | Scotland v New Zealand | Murrayfield, Edinburgh |
| Sun 15 Nov, 15:10 | Scotland v Australia | Murrayfield, Edinburgh |
| Sat 21 Nov, 14:10 | Scotland v Japan | Murrayfield, Edinburgh |
Wales
Wales beat Fiji 39-24 in Cardiff with a bonus point, then lost 35-21 to Argentina in San Juan and 43-0 to South Africa in Durban. They are fifth in the North on 5 points.
| KICK-OFF | MATCH | VENUE |
|---|---|---|
| Sat 7 Nov, 16:40 | Wales v Japan | Principality Stadium, Cardiff |
| Sat 14 Nov, 14:10 | Wales v New Zealand | Principality Stadium, Cardiff |
| Sat 21 Nov, 20:10 | Wales v Australia | Principality Stadium, Cardiff |
All times are UK time. Northern Ireland players represent Ireland in rugby, and Ireland have their own page in this series.
How to Bet on Rugby: The Markets
Match result: home, draw or away. Draws are rare in rugby but not impossible, so the draw is usually priced as a long shot. Handicap: the most important market in Test rugby, because the gap between two sides can be big. One team gives points, the other receives them, usually with a half point so the bet cannot tie. Total points: over or under a line for both teams combined. Winning margin: how much a team wins by, in bands. Tryscorers: first, last or anytime. And because of the bonus-point system, late tries and late kicks can still matter for the table when the result is already settled.
Illustrative example - not real Bet365 prices. 18+ only.
| HANDICAP | PRICE |
|---|---|
| England -8.5 | 1.90 |
| Australia +8.5 | 1.90 |
| MATCH RESULT | PRICE |
|---|---|
| England | 1.36 |
| Draw | 26.00 |
| Australia | 3.40 |
With England giving 8.5 points, the England side of the bet wins only if England win by nine or more; the Australia side wins if Australia win or lose by eight or fewer. Divide 1 by each handicap price and add them up and you get 105.3 per cent. That extra 5.3 is the bookmaker's margin, the price of playing.
The Home Team Is Not Always at Home
In this competition the side listed as the home team is not always the one with the crowd. In July, all three of Fiji's home Tests were played in Britain, in Cardiff, Liverpool and Edinburgh, and Japan's home Test against Ireland was moved to Newcastle in Australia. Finals weekend is played entirely at Twickenham, which is a home ground for England and neutral for everyone else. Before you bet, check where the game is actually being played.
Betting With Your Heart
If you support one of the home nations, this is the most important part of the page. Betting on your own team is the hardest bet there is, because your heart decided before you looked at the price. A useful rule: if you would not back the bet wearing another country's shirt, do not back it wearing yours. And never bet to make a defeat hurt less. That bet usually ends up hurting twice.
Accumulators, Honestly
An accumulator puts several selections on one slip: the prices multiply and the possible return grows quickly. What the slip does not show is that you multiply the bookmaker's margin too, once per selection, and one losing leg sinks the whole thing. It is not a way to win more. It is entertainment with a higher price.
The Law in Brief
In Great Britain, betting is licensed by the Gambling Commission and is legal for adults 18 and over. Bet365 holds a Gambling Commission licence for its British operation, and like every licensed operator it checks your age and identity when you sign up. Recreational betting winnings are not taxed in the UK; the duty is paid by the operator. Nothing on this page is legal or tax advice.
Getting Started at Bet365
1. Follow a link on this page. 2. Register with your name, date of birth and address; Bet365 verifies age and identity, so have ID to hand. 3. Read the offer terms on the registration screen. 4. Deposit and set a deposit limit at the same time. 5. Find rugby union in the sports menu: match result, handicap, totals and tryscorers for every Test.
The UK Welcome Offer
Bet365's offer for new UK customers is Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets: deposit at least £10, place a qualifying bet of £10 at odds of 1.20 or greater, and £30 in Free Bets is credited once the qualifying bet settles. The Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits, returns exclude the Bet Credits stake, and time limits and full T&Cs apply. The registration screen is always the source of truth. Our bonus code THEKING travels with our links automatically; it grants nothing extra and is not necessary to claim the offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Nations Championship finals weekend? Friday 27 to Sunday 29 November 2026, all at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham. The Final, first against first, kicks off at 16:40 on the Sunday.
Who plays in the Nations Championship? Twelve teams: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy in the North, and Argentina, Australia, Fiji, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa in the South.
Who do England play in November 2026? Australia on Sunday 8 November, Japan on Saturday 14 November and New Zealand on Saturday 21 November, all at Twickenham. Scotland play New Zealand, Australia and Japan at Murrayfield, and Wales play Japan, New Zealand and Australia in Cardiff.
Can England play Scotland or Wales in the Nations Championship? Not in the pool stage, because they are all in the North conference. On finals weekend England meet the southern team that finishes in the same position as them, so a Six Nations rematch is not possible in this competition.
What is a handicap in rugby betting? Points added to or taken from one team before kick-off to even out the bet. With England -8.5, England have to win by nine or more for that bet to win.
How does the Bet £10 Get £30 offer work? After your qualifying £10 bet at odds of 1.20 or greater settles, £30 in Free Bets is credited as Bet Credits. Returns exclude the Bet Credits stake. Time limits and full T&Cs apply, as shown at registration.
Do I need the bonus code THEKING? No. It is applied automatically through our links and is used for tracking. It grants no additional bonus and is not necessary to claim the offer.
Why no predictions? Because an honest guide teaches you to read the price and leaves the decision to you. Sports-King earns a commission when readers open an account through our links, which is exactly why everything here runs one way: honest maths and no picks.