2026 Midwest Championship

NOVEMBER 14, 2026 | CHICAGO BLAZE RUGBY FACILITY | LEMONT, IL

EVENT OVERVIEW & PURPOSE

The Midwest Championships bring together qualifying clubs from across the Midwest Rugby Union to compete for divisional championship titles and advancement opportunities within the USA Club Rugby pathway. The event is designed to provide a structured, competitive, and professionally managed championship environment for participating teams, match officials, administrators, volunteers, and spectators.

The purpose of the Midwest Championships is to determine Midwest Rugby Union divisional champions through fair, safe, and well-administered competition. The event supports consistent application of USA Club Rugby eligibility standards, Midwest Rules of Competition, match-day procedures, and player welfare expectations while creating a positive championship experience for all participating teams.

EVENT QUICK REFERENCE

ITEM	DETAIL
Event	2027 Midwest Championships
Dates	November 14, 2026
Location	Chicago Blaze Rugby Facility, Lemont, IL
Competitions	Senior Men D1 – D4, Senior Women D1 – D3 (Festival)
Format	Men’s D1 Semifinals, Men’s D2 – D4 Finals, Women’s D1 – D2 Finals, Women’s D3 All-Star
Qualification	Qualification via Midwest Playoffs
Fees	No fees.

VENUE & AMENTITIES

The 2026 Midwest Championship will be hosted by the Chicago Blaze Rugby Club at their facility located at 13011 W Smith Road, Lemont, IL 60439. This facility features four (4) beautiful rugby pitches, a pavilion, a full indoor clubhouse with bar, restrooms, a trainer/ referee room, and locker rooms with showers.

• Alcohol – alcoholic beverages will be sold at various locations on site (bar and vendors). Bringing outside alcohol is illegal and will not be permitted. This includes the parking lot.
• Concessions– general concessions will be available in the Clubhouse for purchase including hot food, water, and Gatorade.
• Locker Rooms – will be available for teams at assigned times (see below).
• Parking – parking on site is $10. If you plan to park a large vehicle, such as a team bus, you’ll be charged for the number of spaces the vehicle takes up. There is free parking at Bambrick Park about ½ mile away. The Chicago Blaze will be operating a free shuttle from the park to the facility throughout the day or it can be walked in about nine (9) minutes.
• Pets – pets are welcome at the facility so long as they are leased and cleaned up after.
• Restrooms – there are men’s and women’s rooms available in the Clubhouse as well as portable toilets available between the fields.

• The Spectator Areas (indicated as yellow boxes) are between the competition fields and behind the technical zones. No spectators are permitted in the Technical Zones/ Administrative Areas. This will be strictly enforced.
• Teams wishing to set up tents, may do so near the western try zone of Field 3. No tents are permitted to be erected anywhere else.
• Midwest Administration and Event Merchandise will be located near the Clubhouse and Field 1.
• The large orange squares indicate camera lifts for the broadcast.
• Most teams will warm up either on the pitch they are playing or on Field 3. In case of inclement weather, all warmups will be on Field 3.
• Athletic Training services will be in the southeast corner of Field 3. This provides proximity to all the competition fields.

EVENT SCHEDULE – TEAM CHECK-IN, LOCKER ROOM ACCESS, WARM-UP, KICKOFF

Match	Team	Check-In Time	Locker Room Time	Locker Room	Warm-Up Time	Warm-Up Field	Match Kickoff	Match Field
MD4F	MD4A	8:00 AM	8:30 AM	Home	9:00 AM	Field 3	10:00 AM	Field 1
MD4F	MD4B	8:15 AM	8:30 AM	Away	9:00 AM	Field 3	10:00 AM	Field 1
MD3F	MD3A	9:00 AM	9:30 AM	Home	10:00 AM	Field 4	11:00 AM	Field 2
MD3F	MD3B	9:15 AM	9:30 AM	Away	10:00 AM	Field 4	11:00 AM	Field 2
MD2F	MD2A	10:00 AM	10:30 AM	Home	11:00 AM	Field 3	12:00 PM	Field 1
MD2F	MD2B	10:15 AM	10:30 AM	Away	11:00 AM	Field 3	12:00 PM	Field 1
WD2F	WD2A	11:00 AM	11:30 AM	Home	12:00 PM	Field 4	1:00 PM	Field 2
WD2F	WD2B	11:15 AM	11:30 AM	Away	12:00 PM	Field 4	1:00 PM	Field 2
WFest	WFestW	11:30 AM	12:00 PM	Home	1:00 PM	Field 4	2:00 PM	Field 4
WFest	WFestE	11:45 AM	12:00 PM	Away	1:00 PM	Field 4	2:00 PM	Field 4
WD1F	WD1A	12:00 PM	12:30 PM	Home	1:00 PM	Field 3	2:00 PM	Field 1
WD1F	WD1B	12:15 PM	12:30 PM	Away	1:00 PM	Field 3	2:00 PM	Field 1
MD1SFA	MD1A	1:00 PM	1:30 PM	Home	2:00 PM	Field 3	3:00 PM	Field 2
MD1SFA	MD1B	1:15 PM	1:30 PM	Away	2:00 PM	Field 3	3:00 PM	Field 2
MD1SFB	MD1C	2:00 PM	2:30 PM	Home	3:00 PM	Field 3	4:00 PM	Field 1
MD1SFB	MD1D	2:15 PM	2:30 PM	Away	3:00 PM	Field 3	4:00 PM	Field 1

Check-in will generally occur approximately two and a half (2.5) hours before each match. Friday evening check-in may be offered by appointment; details and deadlines will be communicated to participating teams.

Locker room access will be assigned in limited time blocks based on the match schedule. Teams must follow assigned locker room times, may not leave personal belongings unattended, and must comply with posted venue instructions and event staff direction.

Warmup locations and timing will be assigned after the final field schedule is confirmed. Teams should expect designated warmup areas and may not use competition fields unless expressly permitted by event staff.

MATCH ROSTER & PLAYER ELIGIBILITY

All teams must understand and adhere to both USA Club Rugby Eligibility and the Midwest Rules of Competition. Regulations found in these documents will be strictly enforced, no exceptions.

Each match will be loaded into Rugby Xplorer once the schedule is finalized. Teams must enter their Team List in Rugby Xplorer by the stated deadline and bring two (2) copies of the USA Rugby roster to check-in. Union officials will confirm player identity and citizenship at check-in. To keep the process efficient, players should line up in the order listed on the Match Day roster and be prepared to present documentation that validates identity and, where required, citizenship.

• Documentation that validates BOTH identity and citizenship:
  • US Passport
  • Valid, non-expired Driver’s License with Real ID designation

• Documentation that validates identity only:
  • Valid, non-expired Driver’s License or State ID
  • Official school or university ID with photo

• Documentation that validates citizenship only:
  • US Birth Certificate
  • Naturalization Certificate
  • Native American Tribal ID Card
  • Permanent (Green Card) or Conditional Permanent ID Card

Players that don’t have a US Passport or Real ID will be required to show one document that validates their identity and an additional document that validates their citizenship. For the purposes of check-in, clear photos of these items will be accepted. Anyone whose identity cannot be validated will not be permitted to play. Anyone whose citizenship cannot be validated will be considered a non-resident.

Teams should submit required rosters electronically to the Union by the deadline communicated in the final event packet.

COMPETITION LOGISTICS/ MATCH OPERATIONS

All competition fields will have ropes set up along the perimeter of the field. Only authorized personnel are permitted inside the ropes.

This competition will be utilizing and adhering to Technical Zones. Only two (2) registered coaches and two (2) medical personnel may be in the Technical Zone. Water carriers should not be in the technical zone during USA Rugby-sanctioned matches, and coaches should not be water carriers unless no other personnel exist.

Coaches may not enter the field during the match at any time unless allowed by the referee. They may not huddle with teams on the field after scores. Players preparing to enter the match may warm up behind the in-goal area of the side they are attacking into, not the defending side, but should not be in the in-goal area. Players entering the match after it’s begun should not warm up with balls, cones, or other equipment.

Each team is allowed two (2) water carriers. Substitute players may be water carriers but will need to wear identification that separates them from players on the field such as pinnies or turning the jersey inside-out. Coaches may not serve as water carriers. Water carriers may not enter the field when the opposition team is kicking at goal during a penalty kick. Players may come to the touchline at any time to get water.

Each match will have a 4th Official whose responsibility is to keep the official time and score as well as manage player movement on and off the field. This includes:

• Player Substitutions: Player Movement Cards will be used and must be filled out by coaches prior to player entry.
• Discipline/ Sin Bin: Players will be seated at the Administrative Table. Conversation with coaches and other players is not permitted, however medical care is allowed.
• Injury Monitoring (Blood Bin): The 4th Official will manage the movement of players who are being tended to on the sideline for injury.  Please note that head injury assessments (HIA) are not in effect for any Senior Club Rugby-level match.

The 4^th Official will also serve as the Match Commissioner unless another individual is designated. The Match Commissioner has final authority regarding match-day competition and eligibility questions. Issues requiring further review will be escalated to the appropriate Union representatives or review panel.

Disciplinary matters will be reviewed under the applicable Midwest Rugby Union disciplinary process.

All appeals must happen once the event has ended. Information pertaining to the issue must be collected by the Match Commissioner and presented to the respective Midwest Rugby Union committee no later than twenty-four (24) hours after the conclusion of the event.

OVERTIME POLICES & PROCEDURES

If the score is tied at the end of regulation time of an NCS Match, then the tie shall be broken by the following procedures: 

1. Two five-minute halves of overtime shall be played. 
2. If the score remains tied, then the Teams shall play a five-minute period of overtime with the team scoring first determined as the winner (i.e. sudden death). 
3. If the score remains tied, then the teams shall compete in kicks at goal. 

Timeline: 

1. At the end of regulation time, there shall be a five-minute break. 
2. At the end of the first five-minute half of overtime, there shall be a two-minute break.  (c) At the end of the second five-minute half of overtime, if the score is still tied, there shall be a two-minute break. 
3. At the end of the five-minute sudden death period, if the score is still tied, there shall be a two-minute break. 

Kicking Format: 

• Five players who were on the field at the completion of the sudden death period will be nominated to take part in the place-kicking competition. 
• They must kick from three areas on the 22m line – directly in front of the posts, on the 15m line to the left of the posts and on the 15m line to the right of the posts. 
• A player from each team takes it in turns to kick, moving between the different positions, and the winner is the team with the most successful kicks after five attempts. 
• The order and positions of kickers are as follows: 
  • Kicker 1 from each team, from position 1 
  • Kicker 2 from each team, from position 2 
  • Kicker 3 from each team, from position 3 
  • Kicker 4 from each team, from position 1 
  • Kicker 5 from each team, from position 2 
• If there are an equal number of successful kicks after five attempts, the competition moves into a sudden death basis until one team has more successful kicks than the other from the same number of attempts.

OTHER INFORMATION

Kits – Each team should notify the Union of their kit colors (this will be discussed at Wednesday’s Captain’s Meeting) and the Union will arbitrate any conflicts in colors. Regardless, teams should bring two (2) kits to the event.

Medical Services – athletic training and medical coverage will be provided for competition fields. Final medical provider information will be updated once confirmed. Players requiring special materials or additional taping should bring their own supplies.

Event Merchandise – Event merchandise availability, pre-order options, on-site sales, and post-event ordering information will be provided by Rugbee with additional information announced closer to the Event.

Team Hotels – hotel information, including any available room blocks or preferred lodging options, will be shared once confirmed.

Event Streaming & Broadcast – streaming plans, broadcast information, and any team media requirements will be communicated once confirmed. If matches are streamed, teams may be asked to provide roster information, player details, logos, and related materials before the event.