Resolution criteria

The winner will be determined by the final match on Sunday, March 15, 2026, in Madrid. The tournament follows a round-robin phase before semi-finals and finals. The champion is the team that wins the final match. Results can be verified at Rugby Europe's official website or Flashscore.

Background

Georgia are the defending champions, having won the 2025 final with a 46-28 victory over Spain. Georgia and Spain are the two highest-ranked sides in Pool A at 11th and 14th place respectively in World Rugby rankings, while Portugal ranks 20th and Romania 21st. Spain pushed Georgia hard last season, making them the primary challenger. Georgia, Spain, Romania and Portugal all qualified for the World Rugby Nations Cup 2026 and Rugby World Cup 2027 following the 2025 championship.

Considerations

This is the second year of a two-year promotion/relegation cycle, with the lowest-ranked team across both 2025 and 2026 being relegated to the Trophy Division. This creates additional stakes beyond the championship itself, potentially affecting team strategies and motivation.