The Bledisloe Cup is contested by the men’s national rugby union teams of Australia and New Zealand—the Wallabies and the All Blacks. The silver trophy was donated by Lord Bledisloe and introduced in 1931; the countries agreed to compete for it every year starting in 1982. For 2026, the official schedule lists two Tests: Auckland on 10 October and Sydney on 17 October.
How the Bledisloe Cup format works
The Cup is decided through international Test matches between Australia and New Zealand. The number of Tests has varied with the competition calendar and era; World Rugby described the modern series in 2021 as ranging from two to four matches, depending on whether the year fell in a Rugby World Cup cycle.
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The 2026 fixtures
The All Blacks’ official Bledisloe Cup fixture page lists two Tests for 2026:
- New Zealand v Australia at Eden Park in Auckland on 10 October.
- Australia v New Zealand at Accor Stadium in Sydney on 17 October.
These fixtures were still in the future as of 4 October 2026, so no result is implied here. Organizers can change schedules and kick-off details; check the official fixture page for the latest information.
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To compare different editions, look at the number of Tests, which country hosts each match and at which venue, and the historical period. These details can change from year to year, while the trophy’s 1931 origin and the annual agreement beginning in 1982 are distinct milestones.
How the trophy began
World Rugby’s 5 August 2021 historical account says New Zealand’s governor-general, Lord Bledisloe, donated the large silver cup, which was introduced in 1931. New Zealand won the inaugural match 20–13 in Auckland. Australia first won the title in 1934, beating New Zealand 25–11 in Sydney.
The trophy’s creation did not make the contest annual immediately: Australia and New Zealand agreed to compete for it every year in 1982. Keeping those dates separate helps explain why the Cup’s history is longer than its uninterrupted annual format.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsMatches that shaped the rivalry
World Rugby’s 2021 account highlights moments that illustrate the drama of the contest. In Sydney in 1994, Australia won 20–16 after George Gregan made a try-saving tackle on Jeff Wilson. In the 2000 Sydney Test, New Zealand won 39–35 after a late Jonah Lomu try. World Rugby reported a crowd of 109,874 for that 2000 match in its 2021 article.
That crowd figure is a historical report from World Rugby, not a newly verified attendance record. Likewise, historical title counts and winning-streak descriptions in the same article reflect its 2021 snapshot. The current official fixture listings cited here do not provide an updated all-time title ledger, so a present-day total should not be inferred from them.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the Bledisloe Cup matters
The Cup gives the long-running Australia–New Zealand Test rivalry a named trophy and a recurring annual focus. Each edition has immediate sporting stakes, while the silver prize links it to a history that began decades before the countries agreed to contest it annually. Its significance rests on that combination of rivalry, continuity and memorable matches—not on an unsupported claim that it is the sport’s most important or most-watched competition.
What organizers have announced for later years
In an announcement dated 27 June 2026, New Zealand Rugby and Rugby Australia said the 2028 and 2030 Bledisloe Cups would remain two-match series in light of the Nations Championship. They also announced plans for Anzac Day Tests at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane in 2027, 2029 and 2031. These are announced plans, not a guarantee that future schedules cannot change.
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