Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry: Details of All Blacks’ eight-game tour of South Africa confirmed
Springboks face the All Blacks Haka and an inset of Siya Kolisi and Ardie Savea.
SA Rugby and NZ Rugby have officially confirmed that the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour will take place in 2026 with Test matches in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
The alternating quadrennial tour between South Africa and New Zealand was officially announced today, marking a defining new chapter for the intense rivalry between the sport’s most successful and storied nations.
South Africa will host New Zealand in August and September next year, with the All Blacks scheduled to play four provincial games against the Stormers, Sharks, Bulls and Lions, with a four-Test series against the Springboks.
Ellis Park, DHL Stadium and FNB Stadium will host the first three Test matches, with the fourth Test set to be hosted at a to be confirmed neutral international venue.
30 years later
The visit in 2026 will mark 30 years since New Zealand’s last major tour of South Africa, where the visitors embarked on an eight-match schedule, culminating in a historic 2-1 Test series win.
In the reciprocal 2030 iteration, South Africa will conduct their first professional era tour to New Zealand.
The inaugural tour will also replace the 2026 Rugby Championship, which will be shelved and return in 2027.
“This fierce competition between two very proud nations has delivered more than a century of drama on rugby fields across the world, including two Rugby World Cup finals,” SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer said at the launch.
“We saw last year how much it means for Springbok supporters to welcome the All Blacks to South Africa, and we can’t wait to see them tour our country next year, as we rekindle our friendship with our greatest adversaries.
“Today’s announcement promises more drama, physicality, strategy, and unpredictability in a rivalry regarded as one of the most intense in world sport.
“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.”
Mark Robinson, New Zealand Rugby CEO, added: “The rivalry between the All Blacks and the Springboks is fierce, but it’s also steeped in history and respect. Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry is everything that is great about traditional rugby tours, whilst finding new ways to offer more for fans to see and engage with. 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.”
Back-to-back Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok captain, Siya Kolisi, said: “This is going to be something huge and something this generation will never forget. These are the tours we’ve only heard of. To experience this for the first time, where it’s like a Lions tour, is unbelievable for us as a group.
“I have no doubt the Springbok fans will be there waiting to welcome the All Blacks fans to South Africa. Let’s get excited; let’s get behind it and, people of South Africa, it’s an opportunity for us to show the world once again who we are and what we are about – we certainly can’t wait for it.”
All Blacks captain Scott Barrett added: “This is a huge rivalry, and one that is founded on mutual respect, but for 80 minutes these are two teams that every time they play there’s everything on the line. The intensity is right up there, and it is shaping up to be a heck of a tour. The format will be great, and there will be a whole lot of excited fans watching from home and travelling with us as well. We are looking forward to it.”
Tickets for the tour, including match bundles, will go on general sale early next year. Fans can sign up to be the first to hear and gain priority access to pre-sales by visiting greatest-rivalry.com
Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour fixtures 2026
Friday 7 August: Stormers v New Zealand, DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Tuesday 11 August: Sharks v New Zealand, Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban
Saturday 15 August: 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)