Boks and All Blacks to make huge income great again in possible US 2026 series decider

When South African Rugby Union (Saru) president Rian Oberholzer unveiled plans for the resumption of tours between the Springboks and All Blacks in mid-2024, he made no bones that it would include a “money game”.

What he meant was that that fourth Test of the 2026 series at the end of a seven-match tour in South Africa, would be played at an overseas location to maximise revenue.

At that stage it was undecided whether the fourth Test would form part of the series, or be a standalone one-off Test. It was later decided to be part of the series.

Under “normal” commercial income projections, based on ticket sales and hospitality packages, the three Tests in South Africa will earn about R100-million–R120-million per match each.

The fourth Test is set to earn R80-million–R100-million more.

Twenty months ago, it was assumed the “money game” would be in London, or possibly Dublin, but this week Saru revealed it will take place in Baltimore, Maryland, at the 71,000 -seater M&T Bank Stadium – home to the National Football League’s (NFL) Baltimore Ravens.

Taking the game, which could also be the decider of the series, to the US is a bold call considering the tense political relations between South Africa and Donald Trump’s White House.

As it stands now, South Africa is not on the latest full and partial travel ban lists issued by Washington, but that’s not to say the situation won’t have changed in a few days, weeks or months.

Which is why, according to sources, Saru has a plan B in place, should the Baltimore match be under threat in any way.

Oberholzer engaged with national government officials and received their blessing before accepting the deal to play the crunch game in the US, especially against the backdrop of tensions around the 2026 Fifa World Cup in North America.

“I hope that the soccer World Cup goes through that pain first and then we follow on through that,” Oberholzer said. “It’s a challenging one and it’s one we spoke about a lot. But we are supporting World Rugby’s expansion into America. We’re trusting World Rugby also.

“They’ve thought long and hard about asking us to bring the game there and supporting us, looking into the consequences. At this moment in time we are very comfortable that there will not be an issue.

“We have discussed it internally, and I also discussed it with our internal politicians. We don’t want to start something that will start an embarrassment for the American government or the South African government.

“We are comfortable that we have taken the necessary precautions and discussed it internally at least.”

Huge bonus

Saru and New Zealand Rugby (NZR) engaged several marketing companies to sell the game and in the end TEG, an Australian-based agency, secured the deal in Baltimore.

The projected revenue could be as much as R100-million more than it would have generated in South Africa and that’s excluding a handsome fee World Rugby is paying Saru and NZR to take a game to the US.

“Partnering with unions to bring world-class content to key US cities is at the heart of the sport’s strategy to grow the market on the road to hosting men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups in the US in 2031 and 33,” World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin said.

“There are few bigger rivalries than New Zealand vs South Africa, and to be able to showcase the best of our sport in Baltimore, one of 27 super-engaged cities and regions in the Rugby World Cup hosting process, is an exciting prospect, inspiring more sports fans in the US to fall in love with rugby.”

“While the All Blacks have played in the USA often in the past, the Boks have only played there twice this millennium, and we’re very excited to take them to Baltimore and engage with a developing rugby ecosystem.”

Little more than a year ago Saru was also in advanced talks with a US consortium to buy an equity state in the union. That deal was ultimately stopped under pressure from domestic rugby unions, but a high-profile match in the US is another opportunity to market the Boks to potential investors.

“Taking the Springboks to new audiences and territories is a key objective for South African rugby,” Oberholzer said.

“The opportunity to do so in a ground-breaking match against our fiercest rivals was a major determinant in where the fourth Test would be played.

“With fans getting the opportunity to see the Boks in action against the All Blacks in three home Tests, the chance to share the excitement in the US is an exciting one, compounded by the fact that both men’s and women’s Rugby World Cup will be heading to the US in a few years’ time.

“While the All Blacks have played in the USA often in the past, the Boks have only played there twice this millennium, and we’re very excited to take them to Baltimore and engage with a developing rugby ecosystem.”

Decider

Given this development, the Greatest Rugby Rivalry – the name under which the All Blacks’ 2026 tour to South Africa is being marketed – could have its final denouement in the US.

Daily Maverick understands that both Saru and NZR are keen for the series to have a clear winner and not, theoretically, be left at 2-2.

That means the Baltimore Test will have mechanisms, yet to be decided, that will ensure there is a winner of the series if the series is still alive by then.

That will add another layer of interest to the clash and will sit well with an American audience because US sports do not do draws (or ties as they call them).

In NFL, Major League Baseball and National Basketball Association matches, overtime is used to decide a winner, even in the league phase. It would be too alien to a US audience if the outcome of the fourth Test left the series at 2-2, and it was shared.

“This will mark the fourth time the team (the All Blacks) has played in the US in five years, so it’s great to be in another new city to show sports fans the spectacle and excitement of rugby,” NZR interim CEO Steve Lancaster said.

The last time they played in the US – in November against Ireland at Soldier Field in Chicago – the match was an embarrassment because of the state of the field and in-stadium experience.

Agent TEG is under pressure to deliver a better product, especially for what could be a crucial game in the series. DM

Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry fixtures 2026:

• Friday 7 August: Stormers v All Blacks, DHL Stadium, Cape Town
• Tuesday 11 August: Sharks v All Blacks, Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban
• Saturday 15 August: Bulls v All Blacks, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
• Saturday 22 August: Springboks v All Blacks, Ellis Park, Johannesburg (first Test)
• Tuesday 25 August: Lions v All Blacks, Ellis Park, Johannesburg
• Saturday 29 August: Springboks v All Blacks, DHL Stadium, Cape Town (second Test)
• Saturday 5 September: Springbok Women v Black Ferns, FNB Stadium, Johannesburg
• Saturday 5 September: Springboks v All Blacks, FNB Stadium, Johannesburg (third Test)
• Saturday 12 September: Springboks v All Blacks, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, USA (fourth Test)