New Zealand's Super Rugby teams won't face the new Japanese franchise next season while the Argentina side will have to wait until round four.
The Chiefs will travel to Argentina to take on the new franchise after the season fixture list was released today.
The defending champion Highlanders will kick the season off against the Blues at Eden Park, while last year's finalists Hurricanes take on the Brumbies.
Every Super Rugby team is in action for the opening round with the Crusaders taking on the Chiefs at home in the other New Zealand derby.
The Highlanders are the other New Zealand side to travel long-distance to take on Argentina in round 16.
The unnamed Japanese and Argentinian franchises will make their Super Rugby debuts against the Lions and Cheetahs respectively.
The teams will also be fighting it out for a new trophy this season after the inclusion of the new teams.
"We are very excited by the next chapter of the competition," said New Zealand Rugby General Manager Rugby Neil Sorensen.
"This is the best rugby in the world outside of internationals and now we're taking the competition to a whole new level. We're bringing Investec Super Rugby to new fans in Argentina, Japan and Singapore – it’s a fantastic opportunity to grow our game."
Super Rugby fixture list:
ROUND 1
Friday 26 February: Blues v Highlanders - Eden Park
Friday 26 February: Brumbies v Hurricanes - GIO Stadium
Friday 26 February: Cheetahs v Argentina - Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Saturday 27 February: Japan v Lions - Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium
Saturday 27 February: Crusaders v Chiefs - AMI Stadium
Saturday 27 February Waratahs v Reds Allianz Stadium
Saturday 27 February Force v Rebels nib Stadium
Saturday 27 February Kings v Sharks Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
Saturday 27 February Stormers v Bulls DHL Newlands
ROUND 2
Friday 4 March Crusaders v Blues AMI Stadium
Friday 4 March Brumbies v Waratahs GIO Stadium
Saturday 5 March Chiefs v Lions TBC
Saturday 5 March Highlanders v Hurricanes TBC
Saturday 5 March Reds v Force Suncorp Stadium
Saturday 5 March Bulls v Rebels Loftus Versfeld
Saturday 5 March Cheetahs v Stormers Free State Stadium
Saturday 5 March Sharks v Argentina Growthpoint KINGS PARK
BYES: JAPAN, KINGS
ROUND 3
Friday 11 March Blues v Hurricanes Eden Park
Friday 11 March Force v Brumbies nib Stadium
Saturday 12 March Highlanders v Lions TBC
Saturday 12 March Rebels v Reds AAMI Park
Saturday 12 March Japan v Cheetahs Singapore National Stadium
Saturday 12 March Kings v Chiefs Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
Saturday 12 March Stormers v Sharks DHL Newlands
BYES: ARGENTINA, BULLS, CRUSADERS, WARATAHS
ROUND 4
Friday 18 March Hurricanes v Force TBC
Friday 18 March Waratahs v Highlanders Allianz Stadium
Friday 18 March Bulls v Sharks Loftus Versfeld
Saturday 19 March Japan v Rebels Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium
Saturday 19 March Crusaders v Kings AMI Stadium
Saturday 19 March Reds v Blues Suncorp Stadium
Saturday 19 March Lions v Cheetahs Emirates Airlines Park
Saturday 19 March Stormers v Brumbies DHL Newlands
Saturday 19 March Argentina v Chiefs TBC
Friday 25 March Hurricanes v Kings TBC
Saturday 26 March Chiefs v Force TBC
Saturday 26 March Rebels v Highlanders AAMI Park
Saturday 26 March Japan v Bulls Singapore National Stadium
Saturday 26 March Cheetahs v Brumbies Free State Stadium
Saturday 26 March Sharks v Crusaders Growthpoint KINGS PARK
Saturday 26 March Argentina v Stormers TBC
Sunday 27 March Reds v Waratahs Suncorp Stadium
BYES: BLUES, LIONS
ROUND 6 (Daylight savings ends Australia and New Zealand)
Friday 1 April Highlanders v Force TBC
Friday 1 April Lions v Crusaders Emirates Airlines Park
Saturday 2 April Blues v Argentina QBE Stadium
Saturday 2 April Brumbies v Chiefs GIO Stadium
Saturday 2 April Kings v Japan Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
Saturday 2 April Bulls v Cheetahs Loftus Versfeld
Sunday 3 April Waratahs v Rebels Allianz Stadium
BYES: HURRICANES, REDS, SHARKS, STORMERS
ROUND 7
Friday 8 April Chiefs v Blues TBC
Friday 8 April Force v Crusaders nib Stadium
Friday 8 April Stormers v Japan DHL Newlands
Saturday 9 April Hurricanes v Argentina TBC
Saturday 9 April Reds v Highlanders Suncorp Stadium
Saturday 9 April Sharks v Lions Growthpoint KINGS PARK
Saturday 9 April Kings v Bulls Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
BYES: BRUMBIES, CHEETAHS, REBELS, WARATAHS
ROUND 8
Friday 15 April Crusaders v Argentina AMI Stadium
Friday 15 April Rebels v Hurricanes AAMI Park
Friday 15 April Cheetahs v Japan Free State Stadium
Saturday 16 April Blues v Sharks Eden Park
Saturday 16 April Waratahs v Brumbies Allianz Stadium
Saturday 16 April Bulls v Reds Loftus Versfeld
Saturday 16 April Lions v Stormers Emirates Airlines Park
BYES: CHIEFS, FORCE, HIGHLANDERS, KINGS
ROUND 9 (Anzac Day Weekend)
Friday 22 April Highlanders v Sharks TBC
Friday 22 April Rebels v Cheetahs AAMI Park
Saturday 23 April Japan v Argentina Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium
Saturday 23 April Hurricanes v Chiefs TBC
Saturday 23 April Force v Waratahs nib Stadium
Saturday 23 April Stormers v Reds DHL Newlands
Saturday 23 April Kings v Lions Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
Sunday 24 April Brumbies v Crusaders GIO Stadium
BYES: BLUES, BULLS
ROUND 10
Friday 29 April Chiefs v Sharks TBC
Friday 29 April Force v Bulls nib Stadium
Saturday 30 April Highlanders v Brumbies TBC
Saturday 30 April Blues v Rebels Eden Park,
Saturday 30 April Reds v Cheetahs Suncorp Stadium
Saturday 30 April Lions v Hurricanes Emirates Airlines Park
Saturday 30 April Stormers v Waratahs DHL Newlands
Saturday 30 April Argentina v Kings TBC
BYES: CRUSADERS, JAPAN
ROUND 1
Friday 6 May Crusaders v Reds AMI Stadium
Friday 6 May Brumbies v Bulls GIO Stadium
Saturday 7 May Japan v Force Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium
Saturday 7 May Chiefs v Highlanders TBC
Saturday 7 May Waratahs v Cheetahs Allianz Stadium
Saturday 7 May Sharks v Hurricanes Growthpoint KINGS PARK
Saturday 7 May Kings v Blues Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
BYES: ARGENTINA, LIONS, REBELS, STORMERS
ROUND 12
Friday 13 May Highlanders v Crusaders TBC
Friday 13 May Rebels v Brumbies AAMI Park
Saturday 14 May Hurricanes v Reds TBC
Saturday 14 May Waratahs v Bulls Allianz Stadium
Saturday 14 May Japan v Stormers Singapore National Stadium
Saturday 14 May Cheetahs v Kings Free State Stadium
Saturday 14 May Lions v Blues Emirates Airlines Park
Saturday 14 May Argentina v Sharks TBC
BYES: CHIEFS, FORCE
ROUND 13
Friday 20 May Crusaders v Waratahs AMI Stadium
Saturday 21 May Reds v Japan Suncorp Stadium
Saturday 21 May Chiefs v Rebels TBC
Saturday 21 May Force v Blues nib Stadium
Saturday 21 May Lions v Argentina Emirates Airlines Park
Saturday 21 May Sharks v Kings Growthpoint KINGS PARK
Saturday 21 May Bulls v Stormers Loftus Versfeld
BYES: BRUMBIES, CHEETAHS, HIGHLANDERS, HURRICANES
ROUND 14
Friday 27 May Hurricanes v Highlanders TBC
Friday 27 May Waratahs v Chiefs Allianz Stadium
Friday 27 May Kings v Argentina Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
Saturday 28 May Blues v Crusaders Eden Park
Saturday 28 May Brumbies v Japan GIO Stadium
Saturday 28 May Stormers v Cheetahs DHL Newlands
Saturday 28 May Bulls v Lions Loftus Versfeld
Sunday 29 May Rebels v Force AAMI Park
BYES: REDS, SHARKS
ROUND 15
Friday 1 July Chiefs v Crusaders TBC
Friday 1 July Brumbies v Reds GIO Stadium
Saturday 2 July Japan v Waratahs Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium
Saturday 2 July Hurricanes v Blues TBC
Saturday 2 July Rebels v Stormers AAMI Park
Saturday 2 July Cheetahs v Force Free State Stadium
Saturday 2 July Kings v Highlanders Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
Saturday 2 July Lions v Sharks Emirates Airlines Park
Saturday 2 July Argentina v Bulls TBC
ROUND 16
Friday 8 July Blues v Brumbies Eden Park
Friday 8 July Reds v Chiefs Suncorp Stadium
Friday 8 July Lions v Kings Emirates Airlines Park
Saturday 9 July Crusaders v Rebels AMI Stadium
Saturday 9 July Waratahs v Hurricanes Allianz Stadium
Saturday 9 July Force v Stormers nib Stadium
Saturday 9 July Bulls v Japan Loftus Versfeld
Saturday 9 July Sharks v Cheetahs Growthpoint KINGS PARK
Saturday 9 July Argentina v Highlanders TBC
ROUND 17
Friday 15 July Blues v Waratahs Eden Park
Friday 15 July Reds v Rebels Suncorp Stadium
Friday 15 July Sharks v Japan Growthpoint KINGS PARK
Saturday 16 July Crusaders v Hurricanes AMI Stadium
Saturday 16 July Highlanders v Chiefs TBC
Saturday 16 July Brumbies v Force GIO Stadium
Saturday 16 July Stormers v Kings DHL Newlands
Saturday 16 July Cheetahs v Bulls Free State Stadium
Saturday 16 July Argentina v Lions TBC
Super Rugby Qualifiers
Friday 22 July
Friday 22 July
Saturday 23 Jul
Saturday 23 July
Super Rugby Semi Finals
Friday 29 July
Saturday 30 July
Super Rugby Final
Saturday 6 August
3 News
