USA Rugby to play summer matches in Charlotte and Cary
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USA vs. Belgium during the 2025 USA Rugby Match Series at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte. Photo: Grant Halverson/Getty Images
The men's national rugby team will play two matches in North Carolina this summer.
Why it matters: More than two dozen cities across the country, including Charlotte, are vying to host the 2031 Rugby World Cup. A successful turnout during these matches will help make a case for Charlotte as a host city.
Driving the news: USA will take on Zimbabwe on July 11 at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte. On July 18, USA will take on Spain at First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary.
- Both matches will be at 7:30pm.
- Tickets go on sale to the public at 10am on April 9.
Zoom in: The games are part of the inaugural World Rugby Nations Cup, which is a collaboration between World Rugby (the sport's international governing body), USA Rugby (the sport's national governing body) and TEG Rugby Live.
How it works: Participating teams will include the 12 rugby unions who qualified for the 2027 men's Rugby World Cup in Australia.
- Teams will compete in two pools of six during the July and November international windows.
- Pool A (Americas and Pacific pool) will include Canada, Chile, Samoa, Tonga, Uruguay and USA.
- Pool B (Europe, Asia and Africa pool) will feature Georgia, China, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Zimbabwe.
- In addition to the games in North Carolina, the USA will take on Portugal, and Tonga will face Zimbabwe in Denver, Colorado, on July 4.
The big picture: Participation in rugby in the U.S. is growing rapidly, especially at the youth, high school and collegiate levels.
- But viewership and mainstream attention here are still small compared to sports like football and basketball.
What they're saying: "Consistent competition for our senior national teams
continues to be a primary goal at USA Rugby, as we look to grow on the global stage," USA Rugby CEO Bill Goren said in a statement.
Between the lines: Anthem Rugby Carolina, a Major League Rugby team (the nation's top league), plays at American Legion Memorial Stadium. The team is built around being a developmental team for the USA Eagles.
What we're watching: World Rugby and USA Rugby are still evaluating potential host cities for the 2031 Rugby World Cup.
- Between 13-15 host cities are expected to be announced in late 2027.