USA Women vs Italy Women: Nashville Kickoff Time, Lineups and Match Guide

USA Women host Italy Women on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at GEODIS Park in Nashville, Tennessee. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. Central Daylight Time (CDT, UTC−05:00), equivalent to 20:15 UTC. This women's international rugby union match is part of World Rugby's WXV Global Series. The final score is not yet available because the game has not been played.

USA vs Italy: date, kickoff time and venue

Nashville is on daylight saving time on October 24, so the correct local zone is CDT rather than standard time. Italy is also still observing summer time on the match date. Check the World Rugby match center for any schedule change, the confirmed team sheets, live match events and the official result.

What is happening at GEODIS Park?

The women's game is the first half of a USA Rugby international doubleheader. According to the GEODIS Park event listing, the USA Women's Eagles meet Italy before the USA Men's Eagles face Australia XV. The venue says one event ticket provides access to both matches. Do not confuse the women's 3:15 p.m. CDT kickoff with the men's later start.

For fans attending in person, check your ticket details and the venue's stadium visitor information for updated entry, security, transportation and stadium rules. In particular, a match kickoff time is not necessarily the same as when spectators can enter: follow the latest instructions attached to the ticket.

What newcomers should know before kickoff

Rugby union is played by 15 players on each side. Teams seek to carry, pass or kick the ball into scoring positions. A try, worth five points, is scored by grounding the ball in the opponents' in-goal area. A successful conversion following a try adds two points, while a penalty goal or drop goal is worth three.

A match ordinarily consists of two 40-minute halves, with stoppages and possible additional time managed by the referee. The match clock is not a reliable estimate of when spectators will leave the venue.

Three moments worth watching

• Set pieces: a scrum restarts play after certain infringements, while a lineout restarts play when the ball crosses the touchline. Both test a team's organization.
• Territory: a kick can move play away from danger or pressure the opposition deep in its own half. Possession alone does not tell the whole story.
• Discipline: penalties can give the opposing side a chance to kick at goal, advance upfield or set up another attack. Repeated infringements can change the balance of a match.

Where to find the official USA and Italy lineups

Do not treat a touring squad as the confirmed starting 15. The official team sheet lists starters by jersey number and available replacements on the bench. World Rugby's match center is the primary place to look for the final lineups, substitutes, match officials and live timeline. At the time of this article, the Nashville lineups had not been confirmed there.

Italy's rugby federation announced a 30-player touring group on October 9 for its U.S. fixtures, including the October 24 Nashville match. The announcement mentions experienced players such as Elisa Giordano and Sofia Stefan, but it does not establish that any particular player will start against the USA. See the Italian Rugby Federation squad announcement for the touring group and check for a separate match-day selection.

When team sheets arrive, begin with the halves (jerseys 9 and 10), who often guide possession and kicking decisions, then the forwards responsible for scrums, lineouts and close-range phases. For both sides, remember that a listed replacement may enter later rather than begin the match.

How to follow the match and confirm the final score

1. Before kickoff: open the World Rugby match center and verify the date, time and confirmed squads. If watching remotely, check the broadcaster's own local listing rather than assuming coverage is available in every country.
2. During play: use the live timeline to follow tries, conversions, penalties, substitutions and disciplinary decisions. Match statistics can help explain momentum but may appear only after play begins.
3. After the final whistle: use the completed World Rugby match report or official team publications to check the score, scorers and match status. A halftime score is not the final result.

The Italian Rugby Federation's October 9 announcement says the team's two games against the United States are scheduled to be shown on Sky Sport in Italy. Broadcast access depends on the country and provider, and schedules should be checked again on match day. An internationally available stream has not been independently confirmed here.

What should fans avoid getting wrong?

The key distinction is between a scheduled fixture and a completed result. Any score circulating before kickoff should not be reported as final. The same caution applies to projected lineups: a player included in a travel squad may be rested, injured or selected on the bench.

Also watch for time-zone mistakes. The Nashville game takes place at 3:15 p.m. CDT on Saturday, October 24; that is 20:15 UTC on the same day, not 20:15 Nashville time. For anyone following the doubleheader, the women's and men's matches have different kickoff times.

Bottom line: USA Women vs Italy Women is set for October 24, 2026 at GEODIS Park. The official match center should be your reference for late team changes and the final result once the game is complete.