Springboks vs All Blacks Fourth Test to Be Played in Baltimore, USA on 12 September 2026
- The fourth Test of the Greatest Rivalry series between the Springboks and All Blacks will be held at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, USA
- SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer confirmed the match is a key financial move ahead of a lean World Cup year in 2027, with only 3 home fixtures scheduled
- World Rugby's push to grow the sport in the United States ahead of the 2031 World Cup played a central role in the decision
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The Springboks and All Blacks will conclude their four-Test Greatest Rivalry series in Baltimore, USA, on 12 September 2026, taking one of rugby's oldest contests to an unexpected venue in a move driven by finance, sponsorship, and World Rugby's long-term ambitions in North America.
The match will be played at M&T Bank Stadium, home of NFL franchise the Baltimore Ravens, just one week after the third Test at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on 5 September. Both squads will board a chartered flight to the United States almost immediately after that match.
Why Baltimore was chosen
SA Rugby chief executive Rian Oberholzer confirmed that a promoter approached the union about relocating the fixture to the United States, and that the timing aligned with several strategic priorities.
"This game was always about finding an option where we could make as much financial gain as we could," Oberholzer said.
"We only have three international fixtures in South Africa in 2027, which affects sponsorship and broadcast rights. We have to make as much money as we can out of this 2026 season."
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Sponsors also factored into the decision. Nike, the Springboks' kit sponsor and the only rugby team on the brand's books globally, views a US presence as commercially significant. Coca-Cola, another international partner, shares that interest in growing the team's profile stateside.
Marco Masotti, New York-based owner of the Sharks, noted that Baltimore's geography makes it an attractive choice for European and South African supporters. The city sits roughly between Washington and New York on the East Coast, and direct flights from Johannesburg to Washington run at approximately 18 hours.
World Rugby's 2031 World Cup strategy
World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin confirmed that the match forms part of a deliberate effort to build rugby's footprint in the United States ahead of the men's 2031 and women's 2033 World Cups, both awarded to the country in May 2022.
"Bringing world-class rugby to key US cities is at the heart of the strategy to grow the market ahead of the World Cups in the US," Gilpin said.
"There are few bigger rivalries than New Zealand vs South Africa, and to be able to showcase the best of our sport in Baltimore is about inspiring more sports fans in the US to fall in love with rugby."
Springbok manager Charles Wessels conducted a site visit in April and confirmed the venue's suitability. The 71,000-capacity stadium features a natural turf surface, avoiding the synthetic pitches both camps would prefer not to play on, and temperatures in September are expected to range between 16°C and 27°C.
Oberholzer dismissed concerns that the neutral venue would reduce the match's intensity, saying no game between the Springboks and All Blacks could ever be anything less than fiercely contested.
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Source: Briefly News
