Wales to face Fiji in rugby Test at Cardiff City Stadium

The Wales rugby men’s side are set to face Fiji at the Cardiff City Stadium when they kick off the inaugural Nations Championship in July.

It will be the first time the Welsh men’s national side will play an international at the home of Cardiff City football club, with the game scheduled for Saturday, 4 July.

Details for fixture are expected to be confirmed this week.

Wales play three away games in the summer campaign against Fiji, Argentina and South Africa in World Rugby’s new biennial competition.

South Africa have confirmed the game against Wales will be in Durban on 18 July, while the destination of the Argentina match has yet to be announced, although it is expected to be in San Juan on 11 July.

The choice of the Cardiff City Stadium venue for the Wales and Fiji match is not related to recent lower ticket sales at the Principality Stadium and the July game will not be organised by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).

Cardiff City Stadium hosted Welsh rugby’s “Judgement Day” in 2024, a Welsh regional derby double-header played on the same day in the United Rugby Championship (URC).

Cardiff Rugby also played at the ground between 2009 and 2012, before returning to the Arms Park, while the European Challenge Cup club final was held at the Cardiff City Stadium in 2011.

The stadium, which was opened in 2009, has become the home of the Wales football team and has a capacity of 33,280, compared to just under 74,000 at the Principality Stadium.

The Fiji fixture is not Wales’ game to organise.

Wales traditionally play their home matches at the Principality Stadium but this contest is considered an away match with Fiji being the hosts.

Similarly, the invitational Barbarians will be the “home” side when they face Wales at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham on Saturday, 27 June.

Fiji are set to play their Nations Championship home matches at venues outside their own country, given the logistical difficulties of travel to the Pacific Islands and the ability to maximise revenue at larger grounds elsewhere.

Fiji face England in the second round of fixtures, before finishing the July group stages against Scotland.

The Principality Stadium is also continuing the tradition of hosting a number of non-rugby events this summer, so is unavailable to stage matches in late June and early July.

There are no official events yet listed in the Principality Stadium calendar for July, but rock group Metallica are holding a concert in Cardiff on Sunday, 28 June, 12 days after Take That have played in the Welsh capital.

The new biennial 12-team event will consist of the Six Nations teams as the northern hemisphere representatives, with South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Fiji and Japan as their opposition.

It comprises six rounds of matches across the summer and autumn Test windows before three double-header fixture days on 27-29 November at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham to rank nations and crown champions.

The results from the ‘finals weekend’ will also contribute to a parallel contest, to decide which hemisphere prevails overall.

There is an ambition to take future finals to new destinations.