As reported on Georgia’s 1TV Sport Georgia is to hold the U20s Rugby World Cup in for the second time in 2026!
Translation below-
The Rugby World U20 Championship is returning to Georgia. In 2017, the 10th Rugby World Cup was held in two Georgian cities, Tbilisi and Kutaisi. The group stage matches were hosted by the Aia Arena and Avchala Stadium, while the play-offs and finals were held at the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium.
After the championship, World Rugby gave the highest rating to the organization and called it the best-organized U20 Championship. At that time, 12 teams participated in the tournament and New Zealand won the championship title (defeating England 64:17 in the final), while Georgia finished in 10th place.
In 2026, the U-20 Championship will also be hosted by Tbilisi and Kutaisi, and the number of participants will increase to 16, and Georgian fans will have the opportunity to see future rugby stars. It is worth noting that in the first two years of the U-20 Championship’s establishment – in 2008 and 2009, the number of participants was also 16, and then it decreased to 12.
The 11 teams that are currently playing in the U-20 Championship in Italy with our U-20 team will arrive in Georgia – South Africa, France, New Zealand, England, Argentina, Australia, Wales, Italy, Ireland, Scotland and Spain. They will be joined by 4 countries that took the top places in last year’s ALFA. These are: Fiji, USA, Japan and Uruguay.
David Kacharava (President of the Georgian Rugby Union):
“This is the second time we are hosting the U20 Championship, which is an important event not only for the development of Georgian rugby, but also for our country. The format of the tournament is growing, and in 2026, instead of 12, 16 teams will play in Georgia. We must rise to the challenge and, like in 2017, hold a very high-level championship.”
Nigel Cass (Head of World Rugby Competitions and Development):
“We are delighted to have the opportunity to host the U20 Championship once again in Georgia – a country whose people have a special love for the game and extensive experience in hosting world-class events.”