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The Pacific Nations Cup takes place from 22 August to 20 September and has added importance this year as it will also be a pathway for teams to qualify for the Rugby World Cup 2027, excluding Fiji and Japan, who have already done so. This will be the first time the PNC finals will be played in the United States.
The 16th edition of the Pacific Nations Cup 2025 will again feature the USA and Canada from North America, Tonga, Samoa and Fiji from the Pacific, as well as Japan.
Fiji are the defending champions after beating the Brave Blossoms in Japan last year to claim their sixth PNC title, and coming into these championships will once again be favourites to defend their title.
In 2020 and 2021, the tournament was not held due to the COVID pandemic.
Every match is crucial. For the qualified RWC 2027 teams, its Test match experience and World Rugby ranking points, but for Samoa, Tonga, the USA, and Canada, three nations will qualify for the tournament in Australia based on their standings. The bottom-ranked team will still have an opportunity via other, more challenging pathways.
The sixth-placed PNC team will face the second-best side from the Sudamérica Rugby qualification process, with the winner securing direct entry to Australia 2027. The loser will move on to the Final Qualification Tournament in Dubai (1–18 November), where the 24th and final team for RWC 2027 will be confirmed. Belgium and Namibia are already confirmed as two of the four teams for that FQT.
The banding for the RWC 2027 Draw will be held in December 2025.
The PNC teams are split into two regional pools of three, which is intended to minimise long-haul travel during the pool stage and reduce the tournament’s carbon footprint.
Pool A: Fiji, Samoa, Tonga
Pool B: Canada, Japan, USA
Every competing team will have at least three matches, including a minimum of one home fixture.
World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson said: "With just one month to go, the stage is set for a world-class tournament that promises thrilling matchups and unforgettable moments. The Pacific Nations Cup 2025 is more than a regional competition – it’s a pivotal event on the global rugby calendar.
It offers a vital platform for participating teams, with direct implications for Rugby World Cup 2027 qualification. And with the Finals coming to the USA for the first time, we’re excited to build even more momentum for the game in North America.”
The Pacific Nations Cup 2025 semi-finals will take place on Sunday, 14 September in Denver, Colorado and the Finals on Saturday, 20 September in Salt Lake City, Utah.
In the US, CBS and Paramount+ will broadcast the semi-finals and finals live, while RugbyPass TV will deliver global coverage.
Defending Pacific Nations Cup champions Fiji, set to defend their title with a home opener in Suva on 30 August against Tonga. Their PNC win last year was their first since 2018, and they are the top-ranked nation in the tournament in 9th.
They have won one and lost one Test in 2025, and Fiji Water Flying Fijians coach Mick Byrne has already expressed his annoyance by claiming that New Zealand-based players of Pacific Island heritage sign extra agreements tied to their contracts, stopping them from playing for teams other than the All Blacks.
Some of the players in his sights before RWC 2027 are the Blues’ Hoskins Sotutu, Crusaders’ George Bower, and Highlanders’ Jona Nareki and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens.
Fiji 2025 Results:
Australia 21-19 Fiji
Fiji 29-14 Scotland
The Japan Brave Blossoms play Canada at home before travelling to play the USA in California on 6 September and then compete in the final round matches.
Eddie Jones has been ringing the changes since he stepped back into the Japan Head Coach role, but results have been inconsistent. They lost the PNC final last year to Fiji 41-17.
They last won the Pacific Nations Cup in 2019, the year they hosted the Rugby World Cup. Japan are currently ranked below Samoa and Fiji, in 14th.
Brave Blossoms 2025 Results:
Japan 24-19 Wales
Japan 22-31 Wales
Samoa was well beaten by Scotland in July and blooded several new players as they have a new Head Coach in Tusi Pisi. They had not played a Test since the PNC in 2024, and in last year's competition, they finished third after beating the USA 18-13, which followed losses to Japan and Fiji, and a win over Tonga.
Pisi said earlier this year, “Pisi said, “The Pacific Nations Cup, it becomes our battlefield for World Cup qualification where every tackle, every scrum, and every point is a step towards Australia 2027.”
They launch their 2025 PNC campaign away to Tonga and last won the competition in 2022, which was their 4th title. They are the second-highest-ranked country in 13th place.
Samoa 2025 Results:
Samoa 12-41 Scotland
The USA get their PNC 2025 campaign underway against neighbours Canada on 23rd August away from home.
The USA Men’s Eagles have had a mixed bag of results in their three Tests so far this year and are ranked 16th globally. They did not reach RWC 2023 and qualification in 2027 would be huge as they host in 2031.
USA 2025 Results:
USA 36-17 Belgium
USA 20-31 Spain
USA 5-40 England
Tonga are the only team competing in the PNC who are yet to play a Test fixture in 2025. Ikale Tahi starts the Pacific Nations Cup fixtures by hosting Samoa on Saturday, 23 August at Teufaiva Sport Stadium in Nuku’alofa. They are currently the second-lowest ranked team by World Rugby in 19th.
It has been confirmed that for their preparation, they will host the Queensland Reds at the same stadium on Friday, August 15, as part of the ongoing support of Tongan rugby by the Australian Government, Rugby Australia, and the Reds through the PacificAus Sports-funded Australia-Pacific Rugby Union Partnership (APRUP.
In last year’s fixture between the Super Rugby side and Tonga, the Tongans lost 41-14 after leading 14-12.
Current Reds Head Coach and soon-to-be Wallabies Head Coach Les Kiss said of the upcoming game against Tonga, “We know the size and explosiveness of the Tongan side and the importance of the game as their final hitout before Rugby World Cup qualifiers in the Pacific Nations Cup…This continued international exposure is part of our strategy to take charge of developing our players and staff which can only be a plus.”
They will also have a new Head coach as former Tonga head coach Toutai Kefu has been appointed as the new head coach at Japan League One division two side Kamaishi Seawaves.
The Canadians are yet to win a Test in 2025 and will start their PNC at home against the USA. They have never won the PNC but their best finish was 2nd in 2013.
Canada is the lowest-ranked team according to World Rugby at 25th, and they failed to reach the Rugby World Cup 2023.
Canada 2025 Results:
Canada 18-25 Belgium
Canada 23-24 Spain