The Western Force will compete in a new competition, Super Rugby Next Gen, featuring rising stars from the four Australian Super Rugby clubs which will launch in early 2026.

Scheduled across three weekends in February, the fixtures will support the development of the clubs' emerging talent while feeding directly into the Australia U20 program.

While the competition is predominantly focused on the U20 age group, to promote competitiveness and broader player development goals, clubs will also be permitted to field players over the age of 20 in 2026.

Super Rugby Next Gen will strategically replace Super Rugby U19, which was previously held later in the calendar year.