World Rugby's flagship age-grade tournament has a new name, an expanded field and a returning host. The competition known since 2008 as the World Rugby U20 Championship will be staged for the first time as the Junior World Championship, with 16 teams converging on Georgia from 27 June to 18 July.
It is the first time since 2009 that the tournament has run with 16 sides, after Japan, Fiji, the USA and Uruguay were promoted to join the 12 teams that contested the 2025 edition in Italy. Matches will be split across Tbilisi and Kutaisi, with the third-place play-off and final at the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi.
"We are thrilled to unveil the Junior World Championship, a bold new identity for one of our most important competitions," said World Rugby chair Brett Robinson. "Expanding to 16 teams underlines our ambition to grow the game globally and provide more opportunities for emerging talent to experience world-class rugby. Georgia has proven to be an outstanding host in the past."
Georgian Rugby Union president Davit Kacharava welcomed the tournament back to a country that has become a regular stage for it. "We are proud and excited to welcome the World Rugby Junior World Championship back to Georgia in its bold new format," he said. "Hosting this prestigious competition across Tbilisi and Kutaisi, two vibrant cities, and three fantastic venues, is a privilege for our proud rugby nation."
The 16 teams have been drawn into four pools of four. Defending champions South Africa headline Pool A alongside Wales, Georgia and Uruguay. Pool B pairs New Zealand with Italy, Scotland and Japan. Pool C contains Argentina, England, Ireland and the USA, while Australia sit in Pool D with France, Spain and Fiji. The four pool winners advance to the semi-finals.
Australia U20s coach Chris Whitaker has named a squad heavy with pedigree. Queensland Reds flanker Tom Robinson retains the captaincy, one of several second-generation players in the group, with Waratahs winger Tom Farr-Jones — nephew of Wallabies Hall of Famer Nick — among the standout selections after recovering from injury.
"We're pretty excited, we've got a talented group and feel like we are ready to embrace the challenge of competing on this world stage," Whitaker said. "We have got a tricky pool with Spain, Fiji and the Six Nations champions, France, but we will go into the games with confidence and give it our all."
Australia open against Spain on 28 June (2:30am AEST), before facing Fiji on 2 July and France on 8 July, all in Kutaisi.
The expanded format has raised the stakes elsewhere too. Japan, the sole Asian representative, have been building towards the tournament since a forward training camp in February and open against three-time champions New Zealand on the first day.
"This team started with a forward training camp on February 4th," said Japan head coach Naoya Okubo. "The clear goal we shared at that time was to surprise the world with a victory in our first Junior World Championship match against New Zealand on June 27th."
South Africa will defend the title they won in Italy, but with no second-tier U20 Trophy running this year, the 16-team draw locks the world's leading age-grade nations into a single, expanded competition for the first time in 17 years.
