2026 Rugby Europe Championship: A Comprehensive Guide
The 2026 Rugby Europe Championship, the tenth edition of the tournament, is set to take place from February 7th to March 15th, 2026. This annual competition features the top European national rugby union teams outside of the Six Nations Championship. Here’s a detailed look at the upcoming championship, including participating teams, the points system, and key details for fans.
Participating Teams
Eight teams will compete for the title in the 2026 Rugby Europe Championship:
- Belgium
- Georgia
- Germany
- Netherlands
- Portugal
- Romania
- Spain
- Switzerland
Georgia enters the tournament as the defending champions, having won the 2025 championship against Spain, securing their 17th title.
Group Stage and Format
Germany is placed in Group B, where they will face Belgium, Portugal, and Romania. The tournament utilizes a serpentine system to allocate teams to their respective groups. Each team will play five games: three round-robin group matches to determine their path, followed by two play-off matches. Rugby Europe Championship
Points System
The points system for the 2026 Rugby Europe Championship is as follows:
- Win: 4 points
- Draw: 2 points
- Loss: 0 points
- Bonus Point (Try Scoring): 1 point awarded to a team scoring at least three more tries than their opponent.
- Bonus Point (Close Loss): 1 point awarded for a defeat by seven points or less.
- Bonus Point (Grand Slam): 1 point awarded for winning all games in the tournament (a Grand Slam).
Final Stage Location
All matches on the final day of the championship will be held in Spain. The fifth and seventh-place playoffs will take place at Estadio Nacional Complutense in Madrid, while the third-place playoff and the final will be hosted at the Butarque Stadium in Leganés. Rugby Europe Championship
Belgium vs. Germany Match Details
Belgium will face Germany on February 21, 2026, at 19:00 UTC (20:00 local time) at Stade Charles Tondreau. Belgium won the match with a score of 18-3. Belgium v Germany – Rugby Europe
Squad Information
Here’s a comparison of the squads for the Belgium vs. Germany match:
Belgium Squad
- 1 Charles-Henri BERGUET
- 2 Alexandre RAYNIER
- 3 Jean-Baptiste DECLERCQ
- 4 Maurice FROMONT
- 5 Arthur SMEETS
- 6 Jean-Maurice DECUBBER
- 7 Jeremie BRASSEUR
- 8 Felipe GERAGHTY
- 9 Timothe RIFON
- 10 Guillem FERNANDEZ GRAU
- 11 Thomas WALLRAF
- 12 Theo ADABA
- 13 Lucas MICHIELS
- 14 Ervin MURIC
- 15 Jack KELLNER
- 16 Remi DE WOLF
- 17 Julien MASURE
- 18 Bruno VLIEGEN
- 19 Goran DE CLERCQ
- 20 Flor VAN DEN BUSSCHE
- 21 Julien BERGER
- 22 Clément FLAMBART
- 23 Mathieu HAUTIER
Germany Squad
- 1 Dustin MIZERA
- 2 Andrew REINTGES
- 3 Cosmos ZYMVRAGOS
- 4 Luis BALL
- 5 Iestyn Garin REES
- 6 Justin RENC
- 7 Shawn INGLE
- 8 Oliver STEIN
- 9 Oliver PAINE
- 10 Leo WOLF
- 11 Aidan Thomas Casey DIXON
- 12 Jonathon DAWE
- 13 Robin PLÜMPE
- 14 Daniel HAMILTON-STRONG
- 15 Christopher Leonard HENNIG
- 16 Darren Bruce FERRAR
- 17 Daniel WOLF
- 18 Christopher John HOWELLS
- 19 Hassan Omar RAYAN
- 20 John Francis IRELAND
- 21 Luke Robert WAKEFIELD
- 22 Michael MCDONALD
- 23 Felix LAMMERS
Looking Ahead
The 2026 Rugby Europe Championship promises exciting competition as these European nations battle for supremacy. With Georgia as the defending champions and a strong lineup of contenders, the tournament is sure to deliver thrilling matches and memorable moments for rugby fans.