All Blacks confirm 2026 home Tests: Bledisloe Cup, next Eden Park visitors and another unwanted first at Wellington?

Louis Chapman Coombe 09 Dec 2025 2:53 PM

A two layered image of the All Blacks in a lineout and Scott Robertson — The All Blacks have confirmed their 2026 home schedule, with four Tests pencilled in.

The All Blacks have confirmed their 2026 home Tests, with their Eden Park record on the line against Ireland.

Scott Robertson’s side will have four home Tests next year, with three of them in the inaugural Nations Championship and one Bledisloe Cup game against Australia.

All Blacks confirm 2026 home Tests

Their home season gets underway against France at Christchurch’s One New Zealand Stadium in the opening round of the Nations Championship, a year on from Les Bleus’ three-Test tour of New Zealand.

From there, they head to Wellington’s Sky Stadium to face Italy in round two of the Nations Championship, where they will hope to overturn their Capital curse against the Azzurri.

Rounding off their July fixtures, the All Blacks defend their Eden Park record with a clash against Ireland, with Andy Farrell’s side hoping for a replica of their 2022 Test series win over the Irish.

Should they survive that, their Eden Park record is back on the line again in October, as they take on the Wallabies in a Bledisloe Cup Test at their spiritual home.

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Commenting on the fixtures, New Zealand Rugby CEO, Mark Robinson, said: “For the All Blacks to play at the new One New Zealand Stadium 15 years after the earthquakes will be a special moment for the team and a significant occasion for rugby at the start of a new era for the international game.

“Hosting France, Italy and Ireland in consecutive weeks will be new for our players and it creates three unique match experiences for fans in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland as we kick off the Nations Championship era.

“The Bledisloe Cup is a hugely important trophy to the All Blacks, as is the team’s record at Eden Park, and our home fans will no doubt play their part again in the Tests against Ireland and Australia.”

All Blacks head coach Robertson added: “Playing at home will always be special to the All Blacks and to host three Northern Hemisphere nations in consecutive weeks is a great start to our 2026 campaign and a challenge we will embrace. It will be a historic occasion for Christchurch at the new stadium.

“We know Italy will be highly motivated as we start the Nations Championship and, as always, we will walk toward the challenge of defending our record at Eden Park against Ireland and Australia.”

Alongside their four home Tests next season, the All Blacks will also take part in the ‘Greatest Rivalry’ tour to South Africa, as well as playing three Nations Championship fixtures in Europe. Should they reach it, the Nations Championship final will also take place on European soil at the end of November.