WESTWOOD, Calif. – UCLA Men's Rugby has unveiled its 2026 fall schedule, embarking on one of the most ambitious campaigns in program history. The Bruins will face a national slate of opponents while launching the inaugural FirstPoint USA Scholars Cup and begin their pursuit of a National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) XVs National Championship.

The FirstPoint USA Scholars Cup represents an exciting new initiative celebrating the global growth of collegiate rugby and the unique connection between academic opportunity and elite athletic competition. As a founding participant, UCLA is proud to help establish what is expected to become a premier annual event that brings together outstanding student-athletes from around the world while showcasing the values of higher education and high-performance rugby.

The 2026 campaign also marks UCLA's first season competing as a dual-registered member of both National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) and USA Rugby (USAR). This structure allows the Bruins to pursue NCR national championships in both XVs and Sevens while continuing to schedule meaningful rivalry fixtures against fellow USA Rugby member institutions.

"Our objective has always been to provide the very best competitive experience for our student-athletes," said Director of Rugby and Head Coach Harry Bennett. "Dual registration allows us to compete for national championships through NCR while maintaining meaningful longstanding rivalries and relationships that have helped shape the growth of collegiate rugby. We believe this model creates the strongest possible competitive environment for our players and positions UCLA Rugby for long-term success."

The Bruins open the season at home on September 26 against Michigan for the first time ever, before welcoming two time national champions, Brown to Westwood two weeks later. Road trips to Notre Dame, Dartmouth and Texas A&M headline an exciting and challenging national schedule that will test UCLA against several of the country's premier collegiate rugby programs.

In addition to its NCR schedule, UCLA will host USA Rugby member programs Fresno State and USC in featured fall friendlies. These contests provide valuable high-level competition while preserving historic rivalries and strengthening relationships throughout the collegiate rugby community.

Earlier this summer, UCLA leadership met with USA Rugby CEO Bill Goren to discuss the program's competitive structure moving forward. During those discussions, UCLA reaffirmed its commitment to USA Rugby membership while outlining its decision to pursue postseason competition through NCR. The conversations also reinforced UCLA's ability to continue scheduling fellow USA Rugby/CRAA member institutions without penalty or interference, providing the flexibility to build one of the nation's most competitive schedules while serving the best interests of its student-athletes.

Should the Bruins qualify, the NCR postseason begins with a play-in round on November 14, followed by the Round of 16, Quarterfinals, Semifinals and the NCR National Championship on December 12.

The Bruins' full winter and spring schedules will be announced at a later date and will feature several marquee matchups, including the continuation of UCLA's historic XVs rivalries against fellow USA Rugby member institutions. The winter campaign will also include the Dennis Storer Classic, one of the nation's premier sanctioned collegiate and youth XVs tournaments, welcoming teams from across the US to the prestigious UCLA campus.

Following the winter XVs schedule, UCLA will shift its attention to Sevens rugby in preparation for the Collegiate Rugby Championship (CRC) in late April. The transition represents a renewed strategic emphasis on one of collegiate rugby's premier national events. With the previous postseason calendar limiting UCLA's ability to fully prepare for the CRC, the Bruins are eager to once again prioritize the championship and reestablish themselves among the nation's elite Sevens programs.

The 2026-27 season represents an exciting new chapter for UCLA Men's Rugby. With one of the nation's most demanding schedules, the launch of the FirstPoint USA Scholars Cup, and championship ambitions in both XVs and Sevens, the Bruins are poised to compete on the biggest stages in collegiate rugby while continuing to build on the program's proud tradition of excellence.

2026 UCLA Men's Rugby Fall Schedule