England and Argentina renew their fierce rivalry in the Nations Championship on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at the Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero. Kick-off is at 8:10pm BST (4:10pm local time). The match follows Argentina's dramatic football World Cup semi-final win over England on Wednesday night, adding extra spice to the encounter.
England's confidence restored after Fiji demolition
Steve Borthwick's side travels to South America with renewed confidence after a 73-8 thrashing of Fiji last weekend at Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool. England ran in 11 tries, including a hat-trick from Henry Pollock and debut scores from Benhard Janse van Rensburg and Noah Caluori. The victory ended a run of five consecutive defeats, including a 45-21 loss to South Africa and England's worst-ever Six Nations campaign.
Despite Pollock's outstanding performance, he remains on the bench, with Borthwick naming an unchanged starting XV. Emmanuel Iyogun is set for his debut as a replacement, while Alex Mitchell misses out due to a hamstring injury, with Ben Spencer backing up starting scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet. Tom Curry, who clashed with Argentina head coach Felipe Contepomi in November, is also among the replacements.
Argentina's response to Wales win
Argentina bounced back from a 47-38 home defeat by Scotland with a 35-21 victory over Wales last weekend. Head coach Felipe Contepomi makes two changes to the starting lineup: Matias Moroni replaces Lucio Cinti at outside centre, and Mayco Vivas comes in for Boris Wenger at loosehead. Matias Alemanno retains his place in the second row after clearing concussion protocols. Pedro Delgado, Efrain Elias, and Joaquin Moro join the bench.
Head-to-head history and prediction
England have won 15 of their last 16 matches against Argentina, including the last five in a row since a shock 30-29 defeat at Twickenham in 2022. The last meeting in November saw England win 27-23. Overall, England have 24 wins, Argentina 5, with one draw.
England can expect a fervent, partisan atmosphere, with the team having moved their hotel in Buenos Aires to avoid potential celebrations if Argentina beat Spain in the football World Cup final on Sunday. Despite the challenge, England are predicted to edge a tight contest, winning by three points.
How to watch and odds
The match is broadcast live and free to air on ITV1 in the UK, with coverage starting at 7:30pm BST. Live streaming is available via the ITVX website and app. Betting odds: Argentina 6/5, England 8/11, draw 20/1.
