World Rugby debuts remote TMO hub at two 2026 competitions
A central UK hub will handle Television Match Official duties at the Nations Cup and Junior World Championship as new minimum technology standards begin to roll out.
World Rugby said on 7 July that a fully remote Television Match Official (TMO) hub will operate during this year's World Rugby Nations Cup and Junior World Championship. The selected TMOs will work from one central hub in the UK rather than at the match venue.
How the hub will work
World Rugby is partnering with Hawk-Eye at its headquarters in Basingstoke, England. The setup gives TMOs access to all camera angles available to the broadcast, independently of broadcast direction, along with split-screen and zoom tools for decisions involving scoring and in-touch.
An evaluation for future events
The governing body says the hub is an evaluation ahead of possible use at future World Rugby events. The Nations Cup is taking place in the Americas in July, while the Junior World Championship is under way in Georgia.
Minimum standards from August 2027
World Rugby also confirmed that international-level competitions will need to adopt minimum standards for TMO services by August 2027. The standards cover camera access, direct control of footage shown to the referee, operator qualification and the functionality needed to review footage efficiently. Competitions are encouraged to adopt the approach sooner, but there is no requirement at competition level at this time.
What the change is meant to improve
World Rugby says the remote model is intended to support faster, more consistent and more accurate decisions while reducing the cost of delivering TMO services. Its results at the two 2026 competitions will help determine how the model develops at future events.
Sources and reporting
Primary source: World Rugby, "World Rugby debuts fully remote Television Match Official hub at World Rugby Nations Cup and Junior World Championship", published 7 July 2026: https://www.world.rugby/news/1044974/world-rugby-to-debut-fully-remote-television-match-official-hub-for-world-rugby-nations-cup-and-junior-world-championship
Official image: https://resources.worldrugby-rims.pulselive.com/photo-resources/2026/07/06/f5e64e27-c617-4aba-af85-a6da468555e6/TMO-hub.jpg?width=1600