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the celtic challenge
Schedule for the 2026/27 season Celtic Challenge season has been announced, and the competition will return for a fifth year in December.
The new season starts on Saturday 5th December and consists of 10 rounds, culminating on Saturday 27th February. The final will be held on the weekend of March 27, 2027.
For the first time, the team with the highest number of seeds will host the final. In previous editions, it was shown at a neutral venue, but the top-seeded of the two semi-final winners will now have home advantage.
The new campaign will be the best season yet, with more internationals from Ireland, Scotland and Wales involved in cross-border competition than ever before.
The Celtic Challenge is increasingly proving to be a pathway to Test rugby, with a number of players from Clovers and Wolfhounds breaking into Ireland squad. When Scott Bemand announced his team for the WXV Global Series, seven players from those two teams were unrestricted. Since then, five have made their debut against Ireland USA Women Eagles and Japan.
Beth Buttimer, Jemima Adams-Verling, Kate Jordan, Sophie Barrett and Alana McInerney all earned their first caps for Ireland this autumn.
The Scottish sides have also strengthened their squads with the recruitment of senior internationals Emma Orr, Anna Young, Lucie Scott, Evie Wills and Chloe Rollie by Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors.
In Wales, Sean Lynn played Brython Thunder the trio of Amy Williams, Shanelle Williams and Elan Jones during the WXV Global Series, while Gwalie Lightning’s Freya Bell and Bryonie King continued to impress at Test level.
Last season, the Wolfhounds won their third straight title with a 50-29 win over Irish rivals Clovers at the Hive Stadium in Edinburgh.
The result extended Ireland’s dominance in the Celtic Challenge, with Irish teams winning all four editions of the competition.
And the Combined Provinces XV won the inaugural title in 2023, before the Wolfhounds secured three consecutive championships.
2026/27 Celtic Challenge | 1st round
- Saturday 5th December Clovers v Edinburgh Rugby, 12pm KO, Dexcom Stadium
- Saturday December 5, Gwalia Lightning at Glasgow Warriors, 12:00 KO, CCB Centre
- Saturday 5th December Wolfhounds v Brython Thunder, 1pm KO, Affidea Stadium
