The Springboks' road to the 2028 finals now looks different as Qatar withdraws from hosting the Nations Championship and the Stade de France becomes the frontrunner.
South Africa's Springboks have a major venue shake-up to plan around: Qatar has pulled out of hosting the 2028 Nations Championship finals, with the war in the Middle East cited as the reason. As one of the southern hemisphere heavyweights in the new tournament, the Boks will now be looking at a very different backdrop for the biggest games of the cycle.
After months of negotiations, both sides agreed to tear up the deal. Qatar was set to stage the six-match finals series in 2028 and again in 2032. The arrangement also included a title sponsorship with Qatar Airways covering four editions of the competition, and that has been cancelled too.
With Qatar out, attention turns to Europe. Paris's Stade de France is considered the most likely home for the 2028 finals, a huge stadium with big-match pedigree that would give the new competition a marquee setting.
The withdrawal leaves the Nations Championship without a headline backer and with a question mark over its 2032 finals. For African rugby fans, the main question is whether the Springboks, Fiji and the rest of the southern hemisphere contenders get a stage worthy of the format's promise. Expect more news on hosting and sponsorship as organisers regroup.
