Georgia to Host Expanded Rugby Junior World Championship in 2026
Georgia will welcome the Men’s Junior World Championship in June and July 2026, marking the tournament’s return to the country for the first time since 2009. The event expands to 16 international teams and will stage matches across two cities and three stadiums, giving fans and visitors an intensified slice of top-level youth rugby and Georgian hospitality.
Expanded format and venues
The 2026 edition grows from its previous line-up to a 16-team competition, a sign of rising global interest in age-grade rugby. Organizers have scheduled fixtures in the capital, Tbilisi, and the country’s second-largest city, Kutaisi, with three venues confirmed to host matches across the tournament.
Avchala Rugby Stadium and Aia Arena will handle fixtures across the opening four match days. Match-day five is set for July 17–18, 2026 ET and will be played across three venues, including Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi. Supporters have been urged to check match locations carefully, as teams may shift between venues and cities between the early rounds and the final stages of the competition.
Logistics, travel and fan experience
Staging games in both Tbilisi and Kutaisi aims to combine high-level sport with opportunities for travel and cultural experiences. The split-city model can encourage longer stays, increased spending in hospitality and transport, and a wider geographic spread of visiting supporters across Georgia.
Fans planning to attend should note that schedules and kick-off times will be announced closer to the tournament. Because teams can move venues during the competition, ticket-holders are advised to confirm match locations before making travel arrangements. Local organisers are also preparing event services and match-day infrastructure to handle the anticipated influx associated with a larger 16-team format.
National impact and international profile
Hosting the expanded championship offers Georgia a platform to demonstrate sporting infrastructure, organizational capacity and cultural attractions to a global audience. The tournament’s return after nearly two decades provides a timely opportunity to highlight investment in stadia and fan amenities while promoting tourism to cities beyond the capital.
For the Georgian rugby community, the competition is a chance to showcase the country’s development pathways and deepen local interest in youth rugby. Internationally, a larger tournament underscores the sport’s growth at age-grade levels and gives emerging rugby nations more exposure against established programs.
As Tbilisi and Kutaisi prepare, officials and businesses are positioning the championship as more than a sporting event: it’s an occasion to boost hospitality revenue, broaden cultural exchanges and reaffirm Georgia’s credentials as a host for international sporting fixtures. Supporters and stakeholders can expect further announcements on match tickets, transport links and fan activities in the months leading up to the opening fixtures in June 2026.
