European stadiums to bid for South Africa rugby Test vs New Zealand
Top European stadiums are set to battle it out to host a special rugby Test match between New Zealand and South Africa.
The All Blacks and Springboks have announced a British and Irish Lions-style tour for 2026 with New Zealand heading to the African continent.
The tour will culminate in three Tests across Johannesburg and Cape Town before a special fourth Test in Europe.
The location of that final Test is yet to be determined and it is almost certain that the biggest stadiums in Britain will be vying for the right to host it.
South Africa vs New Zealand
England Rugby’s Allianz Stadium in Twickenham hosted the pair in 2023, where South Africa imposed a record defeat on New Zealand which stood until earlier this year, while the Springboks played a Rugby Championship match at the stadium earlier this year.
The 90-000 Wembley Arena will host the Springboks next month as part of the autumn internationals while the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has experience in hosting events other than football.
All three stadiums, according to their respective websites, are currently free, while the likes of Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, Paris’ Stade de France and Barcelona’s Camp Nou could all look to host the match.
The Springboks and All Blacks will be looking to maximise commercial revenues earned from the match in Europe while ensuring they’re able to sell out the fixture.
“This tour will also mean so much for our four franchises and their players – facing one of the best teams in the history of the game – as well as their fans, who will have the opportunity to see their team in action against international opposition for the first time since 2009. We know next year’s tour will be nothing short of epic,” South Africa Rugby chief Rian Oberholzer said.
Added New Zealand Rugby chief Mark Robinson: “All eight matches during this tour will be a showcase of our sport for fans, whether they are in New Zealand, on the ground in South Africa, or across the globe.”
Fixtures
- Friday 7 August: DHL Stormers v New Zealand, DHL Stadium, Cape Town
- Tuesday 11 August: Hollywoodbets Sharks v New Zealand, Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban
- Saturday 15 August: Vodacom Bulls v New Zealand, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
- Saturday 22 August: South Africa v New Zealand, Ellis Park, Johannesburg (first Test)
- Tuesday 25 August: Lions v New Zealand, Ellis Park, Johannesburg
- Saturday 29 August: South Africa v New Zealand, DHL Stadium, Cape Town (second Test)
- Saturday 5 September: South Africa v New Zealand, FNB Stadium, Johannesburg (third Test)
- Saturday 12 September: South Africa v New Zealand. Venue to be announced (fourth Test)