Qatar has withdrawn from hosting two editions of rugby's new Nations Championship finals, with Qatar Airways also stepping back from a planned major sponsorship agreement with the international competition.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup host had been lined up to host the Nations Championship's six-match finals weekend in both 2028 and 2032, while Qatar Airways was set to become title sponsor of four editions of the new international competition.
However, according to The Guardian, negotiations have ended with both parties mutually agreeing to cancel the arrangement.
The combined hosting and sponsorship package was reportedly worth around £80 million (AED 385 million) for each tournament staged in Qatar, including approximately £15 million in airline sponsorship.
The decision represents a setback for Qatar's ongoing ambitions to continue building on its position as a major international sporting destination, following its hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and a growing portfolio of global events.
The initial outline agreement for Qatar's hosting of the Nations Championship was reached in 2025. Qatar initially decided against activating the partnership ahead of the competition's inaugural matches in July of this year, with hopes that the arrangement could begin later in 2026.
Those hopes have now been abandoned, with ongoing regional uncertainty understood to be the decisive factor.
What happens to the Nations Championship now?
The competition itself is not being cancelled.
Launched in 2026, the Nations Championship brings together 12 of international rugby's leading teams in a new biennial competition designed to create a more meaningful rivalry between the northern and southern hemispheres.
England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy represent the Six Nations, while New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Japan and Fiji complete the line-up.
Each team plays six matches across the July and November international windows, with the highest-ranked side from each hemisphere meeting in a grand final.
The inaugural finals weekend will take place at London's Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, from November 27–29, with six matches across three days.
Despite losing the Qatar agreement, organisers remain confident that alternative hosting and sponsorship arrangements can recover the projected revenue.
The competition has already secured broadcast agreements with more than 80 broadcasters worldwide, while approximately 70 per cent of tickets for this month's finals weekend have reportedly been sold.
Could France or Spain step in?
Both France and Spain have reportedly expressed preliminary interest in hosting the 2028 finals, with Paris' Stade de France emerging as a leading potential venue.
A formal bidding process is expected to begin in early 2027.
The United States is also being lined up to host the 2030 finals, one year before staging the 2031 Rugby World Cup.
For Qatar, the withdrawal means losing two major international rugby events and an opportunity for its national airline to strengthen its already extensive presence in global sport.
And with the Middle East having become an increasingly important destination for international sporting events, the collapse of the agreement highlights how the ongoing regional conflict is affecting not just competitions scheduled for this year, but major sporting investments planned years into the future.
