Resolution Criteria

The Utrecht Shield is a lineal championship trophy in women's rugby union that changes hands only when the current holder is defeated in a sanctioned international match. The market resolves based on which team holds the shield on December 31, 2026. Resolution will be determined by checking the official Utrecht Shield tracker at raeburnandutrechtshields.com/the-utrecht-shield, which maintains a real-time record of the current holder and all historical transfers.

Background

The shield is named after Utrecht, where the first women's international rugby match between the Netherlands and France took place on June 13, 1982. England's RedRoses are currently the holders. Ten countries have held the title, with England having defended it the most times. The concept is similar to boxing world titles or New Zealand's Ranfurly Shield.

Considerations

While the shields represent a real concept, World Rugby has not officially recognized them. The shield's holder depends entirely on match outcomes throughout 2026—any international women's rugby test match involving the current holder could result in a transfer. This means the final holder at year-end is difficult to predict without knowing the full international fixture schedule and match results.