World Rugby confirms Pacific Four Series women’s schedule

DUBLIN - World Rugby has announced details of a new crossregional annual international competition titled, Pacific Four Series, that will bring together some of the world's top women's teams.

The annual World Rugby Pacific Four Series is to kick-off in 2021 with Canada and USA competing. Australia and New Zealand will join from 2022. Mastercard is the founding global partner of the 2021 and 2022 tournaments

Contested by four of the world's top teams; Australia, Canada, New Zealand and USA, the Pacific Four Series will act as one of the principle annual qualification routes for the top tier of WXV, with the top three-placed teams competing in WXV 1 and the fourth-placed team competing in WXV 2 from 2023 onwards.

With the global pandemic continuing to cause the global sporting community challenges, the World Rugby-funded competition will soft launch in 2021 with Canada and USA going head-to-head on November 1 and 5. The full four-team format will debut in 2022, ahead of Rugby World Cup 2021, creating a bumper schedule of fixtures.

The Pacific Four Series' primary objective is to increase the reach, competitiveness and value of women's rugby – one of the world's fastest-growing team sports between Rugby World Cups, adding to a full aligned global competition calendar for the world's top players. Mastercard, the founding partner of Women in Rugby, continues to strengthen it's support and commitment of raising the global profile of women's rugby as they become the founding Global Partner and Preferred Card of the 2021 and 2022 Pacific Four Series tournaments. Mastercard and World Rugby will celebrate the fans and players by honoring a Fan of the Match and Player of the Match at 2021 series matches.

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