|attendance = |top scorer = Sam Greene (28) |most tries = Mason Flesch (3) |preceded by = 2025 |succeeded by = }} The 2026 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup was the eighteenth Pacific Nations Cup (PNC) tournament. The tournament featured a condensed version, hosted over two matchdays in Japan between four teams with semi-finals, a third-place game and a final.
Fiji were the defending champions, going into the tournament having won the previous two editions back-to-back (2024, 2025). Japan won the tournament for the fourth time after defeating Fiji 20–15 in the Grand Final. Canada defeated the United States 19–16 for third place.
Background The 2026 edition of the PNC tournament featured a new four-team format with Japan, Fiji, Canada, and the United States. Semi-finals were held in Ōsaka on 12 September, followed by the third-place play-off and final in Tokyo on 19 September. Defending champions Fiji were aiming for a third consecutive title.
The competition formed an important part of preparations for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia and aligns with World Rugby's revamped international calendar. Although Samoa and Tonga did not compete in this edition, they instead played in the new Nations Cup in July and continue to receive development support.
Bracket
Matches Semi-finals
FB 15Isikeli RabituRW 14Joji NasovaOC 13Virimi VakatawaIC 12Kalaveti Ravouvou LW 11Manasa Mataele FH 10Isaiah Armstrong-RavulaSH 9 Frank Lomani N8 8 Isoa Tuwai BF 7 Motikai MurrayOF 6 Kitione Salawa Jr.RL 5 Temo Mayanavanua LL 4 Mesake VocevoceTP 3 Mesake Doge HK 2 Tevita Ikanivere (c) LP 1 Peni Ravai Substitutions:HK 16Penaia Cakobau PR 17Meli Tuni PR 18Inoke Ravuiwasa LK 19Isoa Nasilasila LK 20Joseva Tamani SH 21Terio Tamani FH 22Caleb Muntz FH 23Tuidraki Samusamuvodre Coach: Senirusi Seruvakula FB 15Takoda McMullin RW 14Kyle TremblayOC 13Jacob InceIC 12Ben LeSage LW 11Jamie ArmstrongFH 10Spencer Jones SH 9 Jason Higgins N8 8 Lucas Rumball (c)OF 7 Siôn Parry BF 6 Mason FleschRL 5 Izzak Kelly LL 4 Daragh DoyleTP 3 Kyle Steeves HK 2 Dewald Kotze LP 1 Sam Miller Substitutions:HK 16Austin Creighton PR 17Emerson Prior PR 18Bryce Worden LK 19Barnaby Waddell BR 20Ethan Fryer SH 21Stephen Webb FH 22Cooper Coats CE 23Josh McIndoe Coach: Steve Meehan Player of the Match: Motikai Murray (Fiji)
Assistant referees: Koki Yamauchi (Japan) Ibuki Tetsuka (Japan) Television match official: Graham Cooper (Australia) Notes: Penaia Cakobau, Inoke Ravuiwasa, Terio Tamani and Isoa Tuwai (all Fiji) made their international Test debuts. Fiji equaled their record win-streak against Canada following this result (5).
FB 15Sam GreeneRW 14Inoke BuruaOC 13Dylan RileyIC 12 LW 11Kazuma Ueda FH 10Ryūnosuke ItōSH 9 Naoto Saitō (c) N8 8 Jack Cornelsen BF 7 Kanji ShimokawaOF 6 Ben Gunter RL 5 Harry HockingsLL 4 Michael Stolberg TP 3 HK 2 Mamoru Harada LP 1 Substitutions:HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 BR 19Esei Ha'angana BR 20Tiennan Costley BR 21Faulua Makisi SH 22 FH 23 Coach: Eddie Jones FB 15Mitch WilsonRW 14Mark O'Keeffe OC 13Tavite LopetiIC 12Dominic BesagLW 11Noah BrownFH 10Christopher Hilsenbeck SH 9 Ruben de Haas N8 8 Makeen AlikhanOF 7 Paddy RyanBF 6 Marno Redelinghuys RL 5 Nathan Den Hoedt LL 4 Jason Damm (c) TP 3 Tonga Kofe HK 2 Shilo Klein LP 1 Payton Talea Substitutions:HK 16Joe Taufeteʻe PR 17Fakaʻosi Pifeleti PR 18Alex Maughan LK 19Sam Golla BR 20Benjamín Bonasso SH 21Michael Baska FH 22Luke Carty WG 23Julian Roberts Coach: Scott Lawrence Player of the Match: Mamoru Harada (Japan)
Assistant referees: Damon Murphy (Australia) Morgan White (Hong Kong China) Television match official: Graham Cooper (Australia) Notes: Japan's 63 points was their record score against the United States, surpassing their previous best of 47 points scored in 1999 and 2025, respectively. The 49-point margin was the largest victory Japan had achieved against the United States, surpassing the 26-point record they set in 2025. Japan equaled their longest win-streak against the United States (5), dating back to their 28–18 win in the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Third place play-off
FB 15Takoda McMullinRW 14Kyle TremblayOC 13Jacob InceIC 12Ben LeSageLW 11Jamie Armstrong FH 10Cooper Coats SH 9 Jesse Kilgour N8 8 Lucas Rumball (c)OF 7 Ethan Fryer BF 6 Mason FleschRL 5 Izzak Kelly LL 4 Daragh DoyleTP 3 Kyle Steeves HK 2 Foster DeWitt LP 1 Sam Miller Substitutions:HK 16Dewald Kotze PR 17Emerson Prior PR 18Bryce Worden LK 19Barnaby Waddell BR 20Cody Nhanala SH 21Stephen Webb CE 22Spencer JonesFH 23Liam James Coach: Steve Meehan FB 15 Mitch WilsonRW 14 Julian RobertsOC 13Dominic BesagIC 12Cassh Maluia LW 11 Noah BrownFH 10Luke CartySH 9 Ruben de HaasN8 8 Makeen AlikhanOF 7 Lance Williams BF 6 Marno RedelinghuysRL 5 Nathan Den Hoedt LL 4 Jason Damm (c)TP 3 Tonga Kofe HK 2 Shilo Klein LP 1 Fakaʻosi Pifeleti Substitutions:HK 16Joe Taufeteʻe PR 17Payton Talea PR 18Mason Pedersen LK 19Sam Golla BR 20Benjamín Bonasso SH 21Michael BaskaFH 22Christopher HilsenbeckCE 23Tavite Lopeti Coach: Scott Lawrence Player of the Match: Mason Flesch (Canada)
Assistant referees: Koki Yamauchi (Japan) Ibuki Tetsuka (Japan) Television match official: Matt Rodden (Hong Kong China) Notes: Cassh Maluia (United States) made his international Test debut.
Grand Final
FB 15Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula RW 14Joji NasovaOC 13Virimi VakatawaIC 12Tuidraki Samusamuvodre LW 11Isaac Ratuimatavuki-KneepkensFH 10Caleb MuntzSH 9 Frank Lomani N8 8 Elia CanakaivataBF 7 Motikai MurrayOF 6 Kitione Salawa Jr.RL 5 Temo Mayanavanua LL 4 Mesake VocevoceTP 3 Mesake Doge HK 2 Tevita Ikanivere (c)LP 1 Peni Ravai Substitutions:HK 16Kavaia TagivetauaPR 17Vilikesa Nairau PR 18Samu Tawake BR 19Isoa Tuwai HK 20Penaia CakobauSH 21Sam Wye FB 22Seta Tamanivalu WG 23Isikeli Rabitu Coach: Senirusi Seruvakula FB 15Sam Greene RW 14Inoke BuruaOC 13Dylan RileyIC 12 LW 11Tomoki Osada FH 10Ryūnosuke ItōSH 9 Naoto Saitō (c) N8 8 Faulua MakisiBF 7 Kanji ShimokawaOF 6 Ben GunterRL 5 Harry Hockings LL 4 Jack CornelsenTP 3 HK 2 Mamoru Harada LP 1 Substitutions:HK 16 PR 17 PR 18 LK 19Michael Stolberg BR 20Esei Ha'angana BR 21Tiennan Costley SH 22 FH 23 Coach: Eddie Jones Player of the Match: Ben Gunter (Japan)
Assistant referees: Damon Murphy (Australia) Morgan White (Hong Kong China) Television match official: Matt Rodden (Hong Kong China) Notes: This was Japan's first win against Fiji since 2019, and their first Pacific Nations Cup title won in a final.
Player statistics
Points scorers Player Team 1 Sam Greene 28 2 Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula 18 3 Mason Flesch 15 4 Takoda McMullin 13 5 Luke Carty 11 6 Motikai Murray 10 Dylan Riley Tevita Ikanivere Mamoru Harada 10 Twenty players 5
Try scorers Player Team 1 Mason Flesch 3 2 Motikai Murray 2 Dylan Riley Tevita Ikanivere Mamoru Harada 6 Twenty players 1
Participants Team Coach Captain World Rugby Ranking Start End Steve Meehan Lucas Rumball 24th 22nd Senirusi Seruvakula Tevita Ikanivere 9th 10th Eddie Jones Naoto Saitō 12th 9th Scott Lawrence Jason Damm 14th 15th
Squads Caps and ages are as of the first match of the tournament (12 September 2026).
Canada On 25 August 2026, Canada announced a 32-player squad for their September tour of Japan, including an one-off test match against Japan and their Pacific Nations Cup campaign.
Fiji Fiji announced a 31-man squad in on 25 August 2026 ahead of the tournament.
Japan On 9 September, Japan named a 30-player squad ahead of their World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup.アサヒスーパードライ パシフィックネーションズカップ2026 大会登録メンバーのお知らせ
United States On 31 August 2026, a 31-man squad was announced for the Pacific Nations Cup.
See also 2026 men's rugby union internationals 2026 Nations Championship 2026 World Rugby Nations Cup
Notes
References
External links Pacific Nations Cup web page at World Rugby