Autumn Rugby Internationals 2025: Dates, Schedule & How to Watch

Some of the most anticipated autumn rugby now starts far away from the usual Test grounds, and the 2025 edition is a good example: Ireland and New Zealand open the series at Soldier Field in Chicago on Saturday 1 November 2025, according to Goal’s fixture coverage. The same Saturday brings England and Scotland home matches, with the series carrying the Quilter Nations Series banner.

First match: 1 November 2025 · Opening venue: Soldier Field, Chicago · Confirmed touring team: New Zealand · Title sponsor: Quilter

The 2025 autumn internationals have a clear spine: one transatlantic opener, four home unions in action, and a title sponsor whose name sits on the series. Here is the confirmed picture.

The key facts are settled, even if the full fixture count is not. That makes the first two weekends of November the fixed points to plan around.

What are the 2025 Autumn Internationals?

The autumn internationals are the men’s Test match window that runs each November, mainly in the UK and Europe. In 2025 the series is being presented under the Quilter Nations Series name, with all four home unions — England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales — involved (Goal’s fixture guide).

Yahoo Sports’ fixture tracker lists New Zealand as the confirmed headline touring team, with Ireland’s trip to Chicago giving the series a North American opener before the action moves back across the Atlantic.

The upshot: The series has a familiar November structure, but the Chicago opener gives this edition a distinct starting point.

Match schedule and key dates

Key dates at a glance

• 1 November 2025 — Ireland vs New Zealand, Soldier Field, Chicago (Goal)
• 1 November 2025 — Scotland vs USA, Murrayfield, Edinburgh (Goal)
• 1 November 2025 — England vs Australia, Allianz Stadium, London (ESPN)
• 8 November 2025 — Ireland vs Japan, Aviva Stadium, Dublin (Goal)
• 8 November 2025 — England vs Fiji, Allianz Stadium, London (Goal)
• 8 November 2025 — France vs South Africa, Paris (Yahoo Sports)
• November 2025 — other matches, dates to be confirmed (Yahoo Sports)

The fixture list is built around the first two weekends of the month, which gives the early rounds a settled feel even though later dates are still open.

Why this matters: The opening Saturday is locked in, and the second Saturday has a clear international double-header in Dublin and London to anchor the calendar.

What is confirmed vs what is still unknown

The confirmed fixtures line up cleanly across the first two weeks. The remaining question is how many matches the wider series will include once the later dates are filled in.

Confirmed

• Official series title: 2025 Autumn Internationals / Quilter Nations Series (Goal)
• Ireland vs New Zealand at Soldier Field on 1 November (Goal)
• England at home on 1 November and 8 November (ESPN; Goal)
• Scotland vs USA at Murrayfield on 1 November (Goal)
• Ireland vs Japan at Aviva Stadium on 8 November (Goal)
• France vs South Africa in Paris on 8 November (Yahoo Sports)

Still unknown

• Full fixture count and remaining November dates (Yahoo Sports)
• Broadcast details for every market, since coverage appears split across television and streaming (Goal)

The bottom line: Most of the uncertainty sits on the back end of the calendar, not the front. That is useful if you are planning around the first two Saturdays.

How to watch the Autumn Internationals

Goal’s how-to-watch guide presents the series as an event to follow across television and streaming rather than through a single broadcaster bundle. That means checking the fixture list by market is the safest way to avoid missing a match.

Where can I watch live rugby on TV?

In the UK, ITV and BBC have historically broadcast Autumn Internationals. In Ireland, RTÉ and Virgin Media provide coverage. In the USA, NBC and Peacock hold rights. Viewers in other markets should consult local sports broadcasters.

How to watch rugby on TV for free?

Some matches are broadcast on free-to-air TV in the UK and Ireland. ITV and BBC offer free coverage of selected matches. Use ITV Hub (free) or BBC iPlayer (free) to stream without a subscription.

How can I watch rugby without Sky?

Watch on free-to-air channels like ITV and BBC. Use streaming services such as ITV Hub and BBC iPlayer (free). In Ireland, RTÉ Player and Virgin Media Player are free options.

Which channel to watch rugby on?

• UK: ITV, BBC
• Ireland: RTÉ, Virgin Media
• USA: NBC, Peacock

Goal’s watch-and-stream guide lists the games across the opening Saturday, while Yahoo Sports’ results tracker keeps the wider November schedule under review.

The takeaway: England’s match against Australia on 1 November is the clearest example of a home fixture with a confirmed place on the calendar, but broadcast details for some territories are not fully locked in yet.

What the early coverage says

Two observations from the fixture coverage help frame the series.

The opening Saturday is built around Ireland vs New Zealand in Chicago, while Scotland and England also host matches on 1 November.

Yahoo Sports’ autumn internationals coverage

The autumn internationals are being presented as an event to watch across streaming and TV, with games split by market rather than bundled into one package.

Goal’s watch-and-stream guide

The bottom line: The two sources read the same way: the confirmed dates create the skeleton, and the TBC slots are the part to watch.

With the first match in Chicago and a dense run of home fixtures through early November, the 2025 series already has its shape. The remaining weeks of the calendar will decide how much of the month belongs to the autumn internationals — and how many of the TBC slots become appointment viewing.

Frequently asked questions