Name: 2026 Midwest Thunderbird Cup
Start: 2026-05-29T13:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-05-31T17:00:00-05:00
Location: Chicago Blaze Rugby Club

The Midwest Rugby Union is proud to present the 2026 Midwest Thunderbird Cup, taking place Friday, May 29 through Sunday, May 31, 2026, at the Chicago Blaze Rugby Facility in Lemont, Illinois.
Now entering its third year, the Thunderbird Cup has quickly become one of the premier senior club and age-grade rugby events in the United States. The 2026 event will feature 27 full 80-minute matches and bring together nearly 450 players from across the Midwest Rugby Territorial Union.
All eight Midwest Local Area Unions will be represented, including: • Allegheny Rugby Union
• Chicago Area Rugby Football Union
• Indiana Rugby Union
• Iowa Rugby Union
• Michigan Rugby Union
• Minnesota Rugby Union
• Ohio Rugby Union
• Wisconsin Rugby Union
Competition will include men’s and women’s divisions at both the senior and U23 levels, with many unions entering multiple sides throughout the weekend.
A major highlight of this year’s event is the return of the Women’s U23 competition under USA Rugby sanctioning. This competition has historically served as an important pathway for identifying age-grade USA Women’s National Team talent while helping bridge the gap between collegiate and senior club rugby.
In addition to high-level competition, the event also serves as a significant development opportunity for coaches and referees. The Midwest Referee Society will work alongside the Midwest Rugby Union to assign, evaluate, and mentor developing match officials throughout the tournament.
Most matches throughout the weekend will also be professionally streamed online, helping expand the visibility and reach of rugby across the Midwest and beyond.
EVENT DETAILS
📍 Location:
Chicago Blaze Rugby Facility
Lemont, Illinois
📅 Dates:
Friday, May 29 – Sunday, May 31, 2026
🏉 Competition Includes:
• Men’s Senior
• Women’s Senior
• Men’s U23
• Women’s U23
🎥 Livestream Coverage Available Throughout the Weekend
Additional event information, schedules, streaming links, and participating teams will be announced closer to the event.
We look forward to welcoming players, coaches, referees, supporters, and rugby fans from across the country for an outstanding weekend of competition and development.