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Live sport on SN this weekendAll Blacks and Springboks to take rugby's 'greatest rivalry' to Baltimore
Sport Nation • January 23rd, 2026 5:00 am
Springboks line up to face the All Blacks haka | Photo: Elias Rodriguez/Photosport
The fourth Test of the 'Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry' tour will be played in the United States, with Baltimore confirmed as the host city for the 2026 All Blacks v Springboks decider.
After three Tests in South Africa, the series will head to M&T Bank Stadium on September 12 this year, taking the biggest rivalry in international rugby into a new market and onto one of North America’s biggest sporting stages.
The All Blacks and Springboks have both played matches in the US before, but never against each other.
This fourth Test marks a significant shift in how the series is being positioned with World Rugby, New Zealand Rugby and SA Rugby targeting the American market ahead of the 2031 and 2033 Rugby World Cups.
Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium | Photo: Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire
Interim New Zealand Rugby CEO Steve Lancaster says the move reflects the growing importance of the US.
“Having the opportunity to once again play in the US, less than a year after our last game, is exciting for the All Blacks and for New Zealand Rugby," Lancaster said in a statement.
"The US is an important market for us and for rugby more broadly, as we look ahead to Rugby World Cup 2031. This will mark the fourth time the team has played in the US in five years, so it’s great to be in another new city to show sports fans the spectacle and excitement of rugby.
“Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry aims to be unlike any other, and playing in a city with the potential to form a part of the 2031 Rugby World Cup just adds another layer to this tour. We look forward to welcoming fans of the All Blacks and the haka in Baltimore in September.”
For South African rugby, the chance to take the Springboks into new territory was central to the decision.
"Taking the Springboks to new audiences and territories is a key objective for South African rugby and the opportunity to do so in a ground-breaking match against our fiercest rivals was a major determinant in where the fourth Test would be played," said SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer.
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"With fans getting the opportunity to see the Boks in action against the All Blacks in three home Tests, the chance to share the excitement in the US is an exciting one, compounded by the fact that both men’s and women’s Rugby World Cup will be heading to the US in a few years' time.
"While the All Blacks have played in the USA often in the past, the Boks have only played there twice this millennium, and we're very excited to take them to Baltimore and engage with a developing rugby ecosystem."
World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin says the fourth Test fits squarely into the sport’s long-term US strategy.
“There are few bigger rivalries than New Zealand v South Africa, and to be able to showcase the best of our sport in Baltimore, one of 27 super engaged cities and regions in the Rugby World Cup hosting process, is an exciting prospect, inspiring more sports fans in the US to fall in love with rugby," Gilpin said.
Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson calls M&T Bank Stadium home | Photo: Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire
The match will be played at the 71,000 seat M&T Bank Stadium, home of the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens.
Organisers expect strong international travel, with the Test set to deliver a major economic boost and further strengthen Baltimore’s case as a future Rugby World Cup host city.
