England hit by slump in Twickenham ticket sales for Nations Championship finals

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, October 8, 2026

Ticket sales for England’s matches at the upcoming Nations Championship finals at Twickenham are lagging behind those for South Africa and New Zealand games, with overall attendance expected at around 60 to 65 percent capacity. This lower demand may reflect England’s recent poor home form and challenging pool schedule, while strong expatriate support and past successes have boosted interest in the Southern Hemisphere teams.

England is facing unexpectedly low demand for tickets to the upcoming Nations Championship finals weekend at Twickenham, with significantly higher interest shown in matches featuring South Africa and New Zealand. The event, scheduled for next month, will host six ranking matches over three days, including a grand final that pits the top Northern Hemisphere team against the leading Southern Hemisphere side.

Tickets for all matches are available both as single-day purchases and in bundled packages covering two or all three days. Additionally, “support your team” tickets guarantee entry to a specific nation’s game. While tickets for fixtures involving South Africa—the two-time world champions leading the Southern Hemisphere pool—and New Zealand have sold out, England’s tickets remain available as of Wednesday at £164.80, alongside those for the other nine nations competing.

Organizers reportedly increased the allocation of “support your own” tickets last week in response to growing demand. However, enthusiasm for the Springboks and All Blacks outpaces interest in England, contributing to an overall ticket sale rate between 60 and 65 percent for the finals weekend. Following a surge in enthusiasm after July’s fixtures, officials remain optimistic about their effort to promote the event as a “festival of rugby.”

England’s relatively weak ticket sales may be linked to the team’s schedule, which includes three pool matches against Australia, Japan, and New Zealand ahead of the finals. This run of games could have diluted fan interest. The situation is compounded by England’s poor recent form at Twickenham, where they suffered a heavy 42-21 loss to Ireland during their worst Six Nations campaign.

Twickenham has also effectively become a second home for South Africa, who have played multiple matches at the venue in recent years against teams including Argentina, Wales, and New Zealand. The presence of a substantial New Zealand expatriate community in London has contributed to strong ticket sales for All Blacks fixtures; for example, more than 80,000 spectators attended the Springboks’ dominant 2023 World Cup warm-up victory over New Zealand at the stadium.

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is closely monitoring ticket sales ahead of a November double-header and remains awaiting a decision from Richmond council on its application to hold more concerts at Twickenham. The council’s ruling, initially expected this week, has been delayed, fueling concern within the RFU. Residents who opposed the RFU’s proposal had cited incidents of anti-social behavior during the South Africa-New Zealand Friday night match.

In related news, England assistant coach Joe El-Abd will depart his role following the 2027 World Cup to join French club Clermont. El-Abd, a trusted aide to head coach Steve Borthwick, joined England’s coaching staff in late 2024 as defense coach before shifting focus to forwards and contact skills a year later. El-Abd previously served as director of rugby at Oyonnax and is expected to return to French rugby after England’s campaign in Australia.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.