Fiji will face Wales at Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday, July 4, 2026, in the opening round of the newly established biennial Nations Championship.
The fixture is designated as a home match for Fiji, who are playing all three of their summer home matches in the United Kingdom due to stadium and logistical constraints in Suva.
According to reports from BBC Sport and WalesOnline, around 16,000 tickets have been sold for the encounter at the 33,280-capacity venue.
Organizers intend to transform the football stadium into a Fijian village with cultural activities to represent the host nation's heritage.
Stadium Plans and Revenue Goals
Fiji’s acting head coach Senirusi Seruvakula explained that the national team aims to generate enough revenue from these global fixtures to construct a new 25,000-seater stadium on 60 acres of land in Suva by the 2030 tournament.
"That's what we're all wishing for, that in a couple of years, we might have a stadium that will host our team," said Seruvakula.
The coach noted that playing away from home is a familiar challenge for the Flying Fijians, who are currently ranked ninth in the world, two spots ahead of Wales.
"It will be a great experience but while this is a home match for us, we know also we are playing Wales on their own turf," he added.
The Fijian public will also be supporting the team from afar despite the significant time zone differences.
"It has been like that for many years now and we love the support and love we get," Seruvakula said.
The newly formed 10-year tier-one competition structure offers consistent top-level fixtures for Fiji, building momentum toward the upcoming World Cup in Australia.
"It's very important for us, especially for the people back home, our under-20s, all the pathways," said Seruvakula.
The Flying Fijians have named a strong lineup featuring European and domestic Super Rugby talent, including Semi Radradra, Josua Tuisova, and young tighthead prop Tim Hoyt.
"We have players who have already done it before by winning in Wales and anything is possible," Seruvakula stated.
As reported by RugbyPass, Wales enters the tournament following an exhibition match against the Barbarians.
Head coach Steve Tandy will be without injured captain and lock Dafydd Jenkins, who is undergoing planned shoulder surgery, while Rhys Carre and Dillon Lewis are set to start as props.
Following the Fiji game, Wales will travel to face Argentina in Santa Fe and South Africa in Durban.
