Christchurch’s new stadium Te Kaha will host the All Blacks’ first Test of next year against France in the inaugural Nations Championship.
The stadium, which will host its first major rugby event when Super Rugby’s “Super Round” arrives in April, will help kick off New Zealand’s packed Test season on Saturday, July 4.
A statement released by New Zealand Rugby this morning also revealed the All Blacks would play Italy in Wellington on July 11, with Ireland set to challenge the home side at their Eden Park fortress on July 18.
The All Blacks have not lost at their Auckland stronghold in 52 Tests dating back to 1994.
Eden Park will also host New Zealand’s Bledisloe Cup Test against Australia on October 10.
It means, after hosting All Blacks Tests every year since 2021, Dunedin will not have one next year.
The All Blacks will play 13 Tests next year – four against the Springboks - plus four matches against South Africa’s club teams in the republic.
Tickets for the All Blacks’ home matches go on sale in March.
The season opener will mark the All Blacks' first Test at a large, permanent stadium in the Canterbury region since the 2011 Christchurch earthquake saw the end of the Lancaster Park era.
Christchurch's last Test was in August, 2022 - a defeat to Argentina - at their "temporary" stadium in the suburb of Addington.
The city's new 30,000-seat covered stadium is in the middle of the central business district.
“Te Kaha” means “strong” or “powerful” in Te Reo. The stadium’s current naming rights have been sold to telco provider One New Zealand.
New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson said the first Test of the year would be a significant moment for rugby.
“For the All Blacks to play at the new One New Zealand stadium 15 years after the earthquakes will be a special moment for the team and a significant occasion for rugby at the start of a new era for the international game.
“Hosting France, Italy and Ireland in consecutive weeks will be new for our players and it creates three unique match experiences for fans in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland as we kick off the Nations Championship era.
“The Bledisloe Cup is a hugely important trophy to the All Blacks, as is the team’s record at Eden Park, and our home fans will no doubt play their part again in the Tests against Ireland and Australia.”
All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson said: “Playing at home will always be special to the All Blacks and to host three Northern Hemisphere nations in consecutive weeks is a great start to our 2026 campaign and a challenge we will embrace. It will be an historic occasion for Christchurch at the new stadium.
“We know Italy will be highly motivated as we start the Nations Championship and, as always, we will walk toward the challenge of defending our record at Eden Park against Ireland and Australia.”
The All Blacks will go on their “Greatest Rivalry” tour to South Africa in August and September.
The Bledisloe Cup home and away series will run over two weeks in October. There are three additional Nations Championship fixtures in November against Wales, Scotland and England as well as the tournament finals weekend in London later that month.
All Blacks 2026 home Test schedule:
Nations Championship
• All Blacks v France, Saturday July 4, Te Kaha Stadium, Christchurch, kick off 7.10pm.
• All Blacks v Italy, Saturday, July 11, Sky Stadium, Wellington, kick off 5.10pm.
• All Blacks v Ireland, Saturday, July 18, Eden Park, Auckland, kick off TBC.
Bledisloe Cup
• All Blacks v Australia, Saturday October 10, Eden Park, Auckland, kick off 7.10pm.
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