The World Rugby U20 Championship, now also referred to as the World Rugby Junior World Championship, takes place in Georgia from Saturday, 27 June to Saturday, 18 July 2026.

The tournament features 16 teams, with South Africa U20 entering as the defending champions. The Junior Springboks are in Pool A with Wales U20, Georgia U20 and Uruguay U20.

All times below are listed in South African time.

Junior Springboks Pool Fixtures

Saturday, 27 June 2026
South Africa U20 vs Uruguay U20
Kick-off: 18:30 SAST
Venue: Avchala Stadium, Tbilisi

Thursday, 2 July 2026
South Africa U20 vs Georgia U20
Kick-off: 18:30 SAST
Venue: Avchala Stadium, Tbilisi

Tuesday, 7 July 2026
South Africa U20 vs Wales U20
Kick-off: 16:00 SAST
Venue: Avchala Stadium, Tbilisi

Full Pool Fixture Schedule

Saturday, 27 June 2026

Argentina U20 vs USA U20
Kick-off: 11:00 SAST

Italy U20 vs Scotland U20
Kick-off: 11:00 SAST

England U20 vs Ireland U20
Kick-off: 13:30 SAST

New Zealand U20 vs Japan U20
Kick-off: 13:30 SAST

Wales U20 vs Georgia U20
Kick-off: 16:00 SAST

France U20 vs Fiji U20
Kick-off: 16:00 SAST

South Africa U20 vs Uruguay U20
Kick-off: 18:30 SAST

Australia U20 vs Spain U20
Kick-off: 18:30 SAST

Thursday, 2 July 2026

Wales U20 vs Uruguay U20
Kick-off: 11:00 SAST

France U20 vs Spain U20
Kick-off: 11:00 SAST

Argentina U20 vs Ireland U20
Kick-off: 13:30 SAST

Australia U20 vs Fiji U20
Kick-off: 13:30 SAST

England U20 vs USA U20
Kick-off: 16:00 SAST

New Zealand U20 vs Scotland U20
Kick-off: 16:00 SAST

South Africa U20 vs Georgia U20
Kick-off: 18:30 SAST

Italy U20 vs Japan U20
Kick-off: 18:30 SAST

Tuesday, 7 July 2026

Ireland U20 vs USA U20
Kick-off: 11:00 SAST

New Zealand U20 vs Italy U20
Kick-off: 11:00 SAST

Argentina U20 vs England U20
Kick-off: 13:30 SAST

Scotland U20 vs Japan U20
Kick-off: 13:30 SAST

South Africa U20 vs Wales U20
Kick-off: 16:00 SAST

France U20 vs Australia U20
Kick-off: 16:00 SAST

Georgia U20 vs Uruguay U20
Kick-off: 18:30 SAST

Spain U20 vs Fiji U20
Kick-off: 18:30 SAST

Knockout and Play-Off Rounds

The pool stages will be followed by the knockout and play-off rounds. The semi-finals are scheduled for Sunday, 12 July and Monday, 13 July, with the final and remaining placing matches taking place on Friday, 17 July and Saturday, 18 July.

Where to Watch in South Africa

The World Rugby U20 Championship fixtures are listed on SuperSport, so South African rugby fans should be able to follow the tournament through SuperSport’s rugby coverage and fixture schedule.

The key Junior Springboks fixtures to note are South Africa U20 vs Uruguay U20 on 27 June, South Africa U20 vs Georgia U20 on 2 July, and South Africa U20 vs Wales U20 on 7 July.

Bafana Bafana will play South Korea in their final FIFA World Cup 2026 Group A match on Thursday, 25 June 2026.

The match will take place at Monterrey Stadium in Monterrey, Mexico, with kick-off scheduled for 03:00 SAST.

Match details:

Teams: South Africa vs South Korea
Competition: FIFA World Cup 2026
Group: Group A
Date in South Africa: Thursday, 25 June 2026
Kick-off time: 03:00 SAST
Venue: Monterrey Stadium, Monterrey, Mexico
Where to watch in South Africa: SuperSport

For South African football fans, the important time to note is 3:00 AM on Thursday morning. This is Bafana Bafana’s final group-stage match, and it could be an important game in deciding whether South Africa can stay in the tournament.

South Korea have already shown they can be dangerous in Group A, while Bafana Bafana will need a disciplined performance and a positive result to give themselves the best chance of progressing.

The match should be available to watch in South Africa on SuperSport, with coverage expected around kick-off.

The Springboks will play the Barbarians on Saturday, 20 June 2026, in their opening match of the 2026 season.

The match will take place at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha, with kick-off scheduled for 17:00 SAST.

Match details:

Teams: Springboks vs Barbarians
Competition: International rugby friendly
Date: Saturday, 20 June 2026
Kick-off time: 17:00 SAST
Venue: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha
Where to watch in South Africa: Live on SuperSport

For South African rugby fans, the important time to note is 5:00 PM on Saturday afternoon. The match forms part of a rugby double-header in Gqeberha, with South Africa A playing Zimbabwe earlier in the day.

The Springboks vs Barbarians match will be shown live on SuperSport in South Africa, so DStv and SuperSport viewers should be able to watch the game from kick-off.

South Africa A will play Zimbabwe on Saturday, 20 June 2026, in an international rugby friendly.

The match will take place at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha, with kick-off scheduled for 12:00 SAST.

Match details:

Teams: South Africa A vs Zimbabwe
Competition: International rugby friendly
Date: Saturday, 20 June 2026
Kick-off time: 12:00 SAST
Venue: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha
Where to watch in South Africa: Live on SuperSport

For South African rugby fans, the important time to note is 12:00 midday on Saturday. The match is also part of a double-header, with the Springboks playing the Barbarians later in the day.

The South Africa A vs Zimbabwe match will be shown live on SuperSport in South Africa, so DStv and SuperSport viewers should be able to watch the game from kick-off.

The Vodacom Bulls will play Leinster in the United Rugby Championship Grand Final on Friday, 19 June 2026.

The match will take place at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland, with kick-off scheduled for 20:30 SAST.

Match details:

Teams: Leinster vs Vodacom Bulls
Competition: United Rugby Championship Grand Final
Date: Friday, 19 June 2026
Kick-off time: 20:30 SAST
Venue: Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland
Where to watch in South Africa: Live on SuperSport

For South African rugby fans, the important time to note is 8:30 PM on Friday night. The Bulls will be looking to beat Leinster away from home and claim the URC title in what should be a massive final.

The match will be shown live on SuperSport in South Africa, so DStv and SuperSport viewers should be able to watch the game from kick-off.

Match: South Africa vs Czechia
Date: Friday, 19 June 2026 (SAST)
Kick-off Time: 00:00 SAST (Midnight)
Venue: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Competition: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Group A

South Africa will be looking to bounce back after their opening match against Mexico, while Czechia will also be searching for points after their defeat to South Korea. With both teams currently on zero points, this fixture could play a major role in deciding who remains in contention for a place in the knockout stages.

Can Bafana Bafana secure their first win of the tournament and keep their World Cup hopes alive? Share your predictions below.

The expected matchup is Dricus du Plessis vs Kamaru Usman, with reports pointing to a middleweight bout on 18 July 2026 in Oklahoma City, USA.

Du Plessis recently hinted that his next fight announcement is close, saying he has already signed his side of the agreement. The delay appears to be around the opponent’s side of the deal, but all signs currently point toward former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.

This would be a massive fight for both men. For Dricus, it is a chance to bounce back after losing the UFC middleweight title to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 in August 2025. For Usman, it would be another big-name fight as he looks to make an impact at middleweight.

So, while we are still waiting for the UFC to make it official, the likely next fight is:

Fighter: Dricus du Plessis
Opponent: Kamaru Usman
Date: 18 July 2026
Location: Oklahoma City, USA
Division: Middleweight

South African fans will definitely be watching closely, because this could be a huge comeback fight for Stillknocks.

Mexico opened the scoring in the 9th minute through Julián Quiñones after a defensive error allowed the forward a clear opportunity in front of goal. Despite some promising moments from South Africa, Mexico remained the more dangerous side throughout the first half.

The turning point came shortly after halftime when South Africa's Sphephelo Sithole received a red card, reducing Bafana to ten men. Mexico continued to press their advantage and doubled their lead in the 67th minute when veteran striker Raúl Jiménez headed home from close range.

Things went from bad to worse for South Africa late in the match as Themba Zwane was shown a second red card, leaving Bafana with only nine players on the field for the closing stages. Mexico's César Montes was also sent off in stoppage time, but by then the result was already beyond doubt.

While the result is disappointing for South African supporters, Bafana still have two crucial Group A fixtures remaining against the Czech Republic and South Korea. Positive spells of play were evident, but discipline and defensive mistakes ultimately proved costly against an experienced Mexican side playing in front of their home crowd.

Full-Time Result

Mexico 2-0 South Africa

Goals

• Julián Quiñones (9')

• Raúl Jiménez (67')

Red Cards

• Sphephelo Sithole (South Africa)

• Themba Zwane (South Africa)

• César Montes (Mexico)

Can Bafana bounce back in their next group match, or has this defeat already put their knockout-stage hopes under serious pressure?