Wales vs. New Zealand: Nations Championship Kickoff, Team News and Stakes | November 11, 2026

Information checked: November 11, 2026, at 2:29 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT, UTC+00:00; 14:29 UTC).

Wales will host New Zealand on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at 2:10 p.m. in Cardiff, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT, UTC+00:00; 14:10 UTC) in Round 5 of the inaugural Nations Championship. The match is scheduled for Principality Stadium. With kickoff still ahead, there is no final score, and a confirmed match-specific starting lineup was not available on the official match pages reviewed for this report. The time and venue are corroborated by the official Nations Championship fixture and results page and the Principality Stadium event listing.

The latest completed round gives this contest immediate implications for both conference tables. Wales recovered with a 28–21 home victory over Japan on November 7, while New Zealand defeated Scotland 43–21 in Edinburgh the same day. After four rounds, Wales has 10 competition points in the Northern Hemisphere group and New Zealand has 20 in the Southern Hemisphere group; both sides still have another preliminary-round match after this meeting.

Destaques

• Kickoff: Saturday, November 14, 2026, 2:10 p.m. Cardiff GMT (UTC+00:00), equivalent to 14:10 UTC.
• Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales; this is a Round 5 Nations Championship match, not the final.
• Recent form: Wales beat Japan 28–21; New Zealand beat Scotland 43–21 in Round 4.
• Team-sheet status: Both nations have named wider squads, but the starting XVs and replacements for this specific match had not been confirmed in the official information reviewed.

What time is Wales vs. New Zealand, and where is the game?

The match is set for November 14, 2026, at 2:10 p.m. GMT in Cardiff (UTC+00:00), or 14:10 UTC. British Summer Time has ended by that date, so Cardiff is on GMT, not BST. In New Zealand, the same kickoff falls at 3:10 a.m. on Sunday, November 15, New Zealand Daylight Time (NZDT, UTC+13:00), as reflected in the All Blacks’ official tour schedule. The venue is Principality Stadium in central Cardiff. No different local kickoff time should be inferred from overseas listings.

This is Wales’ second home fixture in the November portion of the Nations Championship, between its November 7 meeting with Japan and its November 21 match against Australia. For entry details, venue guidance and tickets, consult the Principality Stadium event listing.

What happened in Wales and New Zealand’s previous Nations Championship matches?

The most recent verified scores are from Round 4, not the upcoming head-to-head. Wales defeated Japan 28–21 at Principality Stadium, giving Steve Tandy’s side a winning start to its three-match Cardiff run. New Zealand overcame Scotland 43–21 at Murrayfield, scoring six tries according to the tournament’s official round report. Those results appear on the official Nations Championship fixture and results page.

Over the first four rounds, Wales has two wins and two losses. Its earlier results were a 39–24 win over Fiji, a 35–21 defeat against Argentina and a 43–0 defeat against South Africa. New Zealand has won all four of its opening fixtures, including July results against France, Italy and Ireland. These are completed results, not a prediction of what will happen in Cardiff.

Have Wales and New Zealand announced their starting lineups?

Not on the official match-specific pages verified at this check. The World Rugby match page has a lineup section but does not yet display a confirmed list of starters and substitutes for this fixture. A tournament squad is not the same as a match-day 23, and Wales’ team selected to face Japan should not be presented as its lineup against New Zealand.

Wales squad news

Head coach Steve Tandy named a 39-player squad for the November home series, captained by Dewi Lake. The original list contained 22 forwards and 17 backs, including three uncapped players. A subsequent WRU update brought Macs Page into the group after Rio Dyer was released following a hamstring injury. Readers can compare the Welsh Rugby Union squad announcement with the WRU squad update for the wider selection picture. Neither document fixes the starting XV for November 14.

New Zealand squad news

All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie selected a 36-player Northern Tour squad for tests against Scotland, Wales and England, with Codie Taylor named tour captain. The group includes Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, Richie Mo’unga and Scott Barrett, but their presence in a tour squad does not establish which players will start in Cardiff. The New Zealand Rugby tour-squad announcement supplies the official wider list and any availability notes issued when it was selected.

Where do Wales and New Zealand stand before Round 5?

After four completed rounds, Wales sits fifth among the six Northern Hemisphere teams with 10 points, one behind fourth-place Scotland. New Zealand is second in the Southern Hemisphere group with 20 points, level with South Africa on match points but behind on points differential. These figures reflect the completed Round 4 scores and bonus points; they are not live standings from a match that has yet to begin.

The WRU explanation of the competition format specifies four table points for a win, two for a draw and zero for a loss, with additional bonuses for four tries or a defeat by seven points or fewer. Consequently, a single contest can affect not only wins and losses but also the standings through bonus points and scoring margin. The top team in each hemisphere after the six rounds progresses to the championship-deciding pairing at Finals Weekend, while corresponding lower-placed teams play for their final ranking.

For Wales, a result against the undefeated All Blacks would provide valuable competition points as it seeks to improve its Northern Hemisphere placing before facing Australia. For New Zealand, the match is an opportunity to remain in contention for the Southern Hemisphere’s top position ahead of its game against England. The exact table effect will depend on scores, tries, bonus points and other Round 5 results; no finals pairing can be treated as settled yet.

What could decide Wales vs. New Zealand?

Recent results point to a contrast in momentum and scoring output. New Zealand’s 43 points and six tries against Scotland indicate a productive attack, while Wales’ 28–21 win over Japan showed it could secure a tight result at home. Those facts provide useful context, but they do not establish a favorite or guarantee the same patterns will repeat.

Three areas merit attention once the final teams are named: the scrum and lineout, the ability to protect possession and exit defensive territory, and the efficiency of finishing opportunities near the opposition try line. Wales will be looking to use home support and territorial control; New Zealand will be looking to turn possession into tries. These are pre-match considerations, not verified tactical plans or a prediction of the final score.

Where can fans watch Wales vs. New Zealand?

The Welsh Rugby Union lists ITV and S4C for Wales’ November home fixtures. The All Blacks’ All Blacks official international viewing guide lists Sky Sport in New Zealand and RugbyPass TV in the United States among regional rights holders. Availability, specific channels and streaming requirements can differ by territory, so viewers should confirm their local match listings before kickoff.

When will the Wales vs. New Zealand final result be available?

No result is available as of the information-check time above because the November 14 match has not been played. The official Wales–New Zealand match center and the World Rugby match page are the appropriate places to verify lineups, match events, the confirmed score and post-match statistics when published. Do not confuse the 2026 fixture with an earlier Wales–All Blacks meeting.

After Cardiff, Wales is scheduled to host Australia on Saturday, November 21, 2026, at 8:10 p.m. GMT (UTC+00:00; 20:10 UTC). New Zealand is scheduled to visit England on the same day at 2:10 p.m. GMT (UTC+00:00; 14:10 UTC). Finals Weekend then runs from November 27–29, 2026, in London, with final pairings determined by conference finishes.

FAQ

What day and time is Wales vs. New Zealand?

Saturday, November 14, 2026, at 2:10 p.m. Cardiff GMT (UTC+00:00), or 14:10 UTC, at Principality Stadium.

Are the Wales and All Blacks lineups confirmed?

No confirmed match-specific starting XVs were available at this check. Wider squads have been named, but the match-day selections should be verified with the unions or official match centers.

What was the Wales vs. New Zealand score?

There is no 2026 Nations Championship result yet. This Round 5 fixture is scheduled for November 14; a final score can only be reported after the match.