JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - SEPTEMBER 20: Griquas players celebrating after winning the match during the Carling Currie Cup final match between Fidelity ADT Lions and Suzuki Griquas at Ellis Park on September 20, 2025 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Christiaan Kotze/Gallo Images)
SA Rugby have announced a bumper domestic competition schedule for senior and junior teams for 2026, including a Premier Division Currie Cup which will again run from July to September and be contested over one round of fixtures.
The ruling body also announced the women’s competitions, which get under way in February, as well as the SA Cup and Youth Weeks.
There are also plans in place for the establishment of an elite domestic women’s competition, other than the current Super Leagues 1 and 2.
Regarding the SA Cup, which will get going in March, the same 10 teams (minus the four URC franchise teams) that played last season will again be in action.
The competition will kick off on 7 March with a single round of matches, and the final will be staged on 23 May.
The top four teams at the end of the SA Cup league phase will again qualify for the Currie Cup Premier Division, where they will be joined by the Bulls, Sharks, Lions and Western Province.
The other six teams from the SA Cup will then contest the annual Currie Cup First Division.
SA Rugby and its member unions, meanwhile, are exploring changes to the men’s age-group provincial competitions, following a thorough review of the current structure. Details will be confirmed in due course, while the SA Rugby U20 Women’s Week for this year is also still in the planning phase.
All fixtures, venues and kick-off times will be confirmed in due course on the SA Rugby website.
2026 SA rugby competition schedule
Currie Cup Premier Division
Participating teams: Bulls, Sharks, Western Province, Lions and the top four qualifiers in the SA Cup
Defending champions: Griquas
Opening round: 18 July (single round of matches with two semi-finals and a final)
Final: 12 September
Currie Cup First Division
Participating teams: The six teams who missed out on the Premier Division at the end of the SA Cup
Defending champions: Griffons
Opening round: 13 June (single round of matches with two semi-finals and a final)
Final: 25 July
SA Cup
Participating teams: Pumas (defending champions), Boland, Border, Eastern Province, Cheetahs, Griquas, Griffons, Leopards, SWD, Valke
Opening round: 7 March (single round of matches with two semi-finals and a final)
Final: 23 May
Women’s Super League 1
Participating teams: Bulls (defending champions), Boland, Border, Eastern Province, Free State, Golden Lions, Sharks, Western Province
Opening round: 15 February (single round of matches with a final)
Final: 4 April
Women’s Super League 2
Participating teams: Pumas (defending champions), Griquas, Griffons, Leopards, Limpopo Blue Bulls, SWD, Valke
Opening round: 4 July (single round of matches with a final)
Final: 22 August
Youth Weeks
U18 Craven Week & U18 Girls Week
Venue: Grey High School, Gqeberha
When: 6 to 11 July
SA Schools matches (boys and girls): 16 July
U16 Grant Khomo Week and & U16 Girls Week
Where: Kearsney College, Durban
When: 29 June to 3 July
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