World Rugby has overlooked Americas referees for the Nations Championship. The tournament, which kicks-off in July, will have no matches officiated by referees from the Western Hemisphere.
Argentina is one of the twelve competitors. The best Men’s test rugby team from the Americas is joined by Australia, Fiji, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa as the Southern teams. The terminology is geographically flawed, with the six instead being rest-of-the-world teams. They join the Six Nations (England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales).
The Nations Championship arguably features the twelve most elite teams in international rugby. As such, the decision on who to appoint as referees, and who not to, is an indication of World Rugby’s intentions for Rugby World Cup 2027.
The Americas will have officials in charge of matches in the World Rugby Nations Cup. There will also be Americas officials involved as assistant referees and TMO. However, the World Rugby Nations Cup is a tier below the Nations Championship.
| ARGENTINA – NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP |
Los Pumas will play three home matches in July. The first will be against Scotland in Córdoba on Saturday, July 04. It will be officiated by Nika Amashukeli of Georgia. He is the only official not from a competing union that will take charge of a Nations Championship fixture.
Argentina’s second home match will be a week later, on Saturday, July 11. Los Pumas will take-on Wales in San Juan. New Zealander Paul Williams will referee the contest. Williams officiated one of the two Australia vs Argentina matches in the 2025 Rugby Championship. Argentina criticized his refereeing that afternoon in Townsville.
Week 3 sees Los Pumas at home against England in Santiago del Estero. Australian, Angus Gardner has been appointed as referee for the match. Both Paul Williams and Nika Amashukeli will be assistant referees; in fact, they will feature in all three of Argentina’s home matches in July.
 APPOINTMENTS – MATCH OFFICIALS |
| Australia vs Ireland Allianz Stadium, Sydney, Australia Saturday, July 04 |
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand) Assistant Referee 1: Karl Dickson (England) Assistant Referee 2: Andrea Piardi (Italy) TMO: Matteo Liperini (Italy) FPRO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand) |
| New Zealand vs France One Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand Saturday, July 04 |
Referee: Luke Pearce (England) Assistant 1: Christophe Ridley (England) Assistant 2: Katsuki Furuse (Japan) TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa) FPRO: Ben Whitehouse (Wales) |
| South Africa vs England Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa Saturday, July 04 |
Referee: James Doleman (New Zealand) Assistant 1: Andrew Brace (Ireland) Assistant 2: Pierre Brousset (France) TMO: Richard Kelly (New Zealand) FPRO: Olly Hodges (Ireland) |
| Argentina vs Scotland Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Cordoba, Argentina Saturday, July 04 |
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) Assistant 1: Paul Williams (New Zealand) Assistant 2: Adam Leal (England) TMO: Brett Cronan (Australia) FPRO: Eric Gauzins (France) |
| Japan vs Italy Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo, Japan Saturday, July 04 |
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia) Assistant 1: Luc Ramos (France) Assistant 2: Sam Grove-White (Scotland) TMO: Ian Tempest (Engfland) FPRO: Andrew Jackson (England) |
| Fiji vs Wales Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales Saturday, July 04 |
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland) Assistant 1: Matthew Carley (England) Assistant 2: Hollie Davidson (Scotland) TMO: Leo Colgan (Ireland) FPRO: Mike Adamson (Scotland) |
| Australia vs France Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia Saturday, July 11 |
Referee: Karl Dickson (England) Assistant 1: Christophe Ridley (England) Assistant 2: Katsuki Furuse (Japan) TMO: Andrew Jackson (England) FPRO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand) |
| New Zealand vs Italy SKY Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand Saturday, July 11 |
Referee: Luc Ramos (France) Assistant 1: Nic Berry (Australia) Assistant 2: Luke Pearce (England) TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wales) FPRO: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa) |
| South Africa vs Scotland Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, South Africa Saturday, July 11 |
Referee: Pierre Brousset (France) Assistant 1: James Doleman (New Zealand) Assistant 2: Andrew Brace (Ireland) TMO: Richard Kelly (New Zealand) FPRO: Olly Hodges (Ireland) |
| Argentina vs Wales Estadio San Juan de Bicentenario, San Juan Saturday, July 11 |
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand) Assistant 1: Angus Gardner (Australia) Assistant 2: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) TMO: Eric Gauzins (France) FPRO: Brett Cronan (Australia) |
| Japan vs Ireland McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, Australia Saturday, July 11 |
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Ireland) Assistant 1: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand) Assistant 2: Morné Ferreira (South Africa) TMO: Matteo Liperini (Italy) FPRO: Ian Tempest (England) |
| Fiji vs England Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, England Saturday, July 11 |
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland) Assistant 1: Eoghan Cross (Ireland) Assistant 2: Sam Grove-White (Scotland) TMO: Mike Adamson (Scotland) FPRO: Tual Trainini (France) |
| Australia vs Italy HBF Park, Perth, Australia Saturday, July 18 |
Referee: Christophe Ridley (England) Assistant 1: Karl Dickson (England) Assistant 2: Morné Ferreira (South Africa) TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa) FPRO: Ian Tempest (England) |
| New Zealand vs Ireland Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand Saturday, July 18 |
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia) Assistant 1: Luc Ramos (France) Assistant 2: Damon Murphy (Australia) TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wales) FPRO: Andrew Jackson (England) |
| South Africa v Wales Kings Park, Durban, South Africa Saturday, July 18 |
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland) Assistant 1: Pierre Brousset (France) Assistant 2: James Doleman (New Zealand) TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland) FPRO: Richard Kelly (New Zealand) |
| Argentina vs England Estadio Unico, Santiago del Estero Saturday, July 18 |
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia) Assistant 1: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) Assistant 2: Paul Williams (New Zealand) TMO: Brett Cronan (Australia) FPRO: Eric Gauzins (France) |
| Japan vs France Tokyo National Stadium, Tokyo Saturday, July 18 |
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand) Assistant 1: Andrea Piardi (Italy) Assistant 2: Luke Pearce (England) TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand) FPRO: Matteo Liperini (Italy) |
| Fiji vs Scotland Murrayfield, Edinburgh Saturday, July 18 |
Referee: Matthew Carley (England) Assistant 1: Eoghan Cross (Ireland) Assistant 2: Anthony Woodthorpe (England) TMO: Tual Trainini (France) FPRO: Leo Colgan (Ireland) |