World Rugby’s hopes of securing agreement over a newly aligned international season that will include a new world league every two years is in jeopardy because of a major revolt ahead of the key vote to be held in Paris on Tuesday. It looks like there’s trouble brewing in the world of rugby. The bigwigs at World Rugby have been trying to get everyone on board with their plans for a new international season and a world league every two years. But it seems like not everyone is happy with the idea. Agustin Pichot, the former vice-chairman of World Rugby and Argentina captain, is leading a rebellion against the proposals. And it looks like he might just have enough support to derail the whole thing. The plans, which include ring-fencing the Six Nations and creating a new ‘Nations Championship’ every two years, need to get at least 75% of the 51 votes at the meeting in Paris. But there’s mounting concern that Pichot’s rebellion could scupper the whole deal. It’s going to be a close call, with some last-minute negotiations and horse-trading going on. Pichot has been openly critical of the plans, calling them an act of self-preservation by an ‘old boys’ club’. And it seems like he’s not the only one who’s not happy. All three Argentine representatives are set to vote against the plans, even though they’ve been involved in the negotiations from the start. Sebastian Pineyrua, president of South American rugby, has also spoken out against the Nations Championship plan, saying it would be disastrous for the game. The plans for the new league structure have been in the works since 2020 and are set to be introduced in 2026. The league will include teams from the Six Nations, the Rugby Championship, Japan, and Fiji. The northern hemisphere teams will play three southern opponents away from home in July, and then the fixtures will be replicated in the November window. The top team from each pool will face off in a grand final, with ranking play-off games for the others. The deal also includes provisions for British and Irish Lions tours and more fixtures against tier two countries. But Pichot and the rebels are unhappy that there’s no promotion and relegation until 2030, which could hinder the progress of emerging nations. To make all this happen, World Rugby needs to change its regulations to guarantee the release of players for international matches. This will likely mean shortening the Six Nations from seven to six weeks. The review of the regulations has involved input from players, leagues, and stakeholders from both hemispheres. World Rugby has promised that if the Nations Championship is established, they will ensure that tier two nations have meaningful fixtures against tier one nations in both the summer and autumn Test windows. They are also planning cross-over fixtures in World Cup years. The establishment of a new Challenger tournament is seen as a way to show the Nations Championship sides that promotion and relegation is possible. It’s a big day for the future of rugby, and compromise is key. There’s no perfect solution, but there’s no alternative either.