New Zealand Rugby has confirmed a 13-team Farah Palmer Cup, with the season set to start in August.
All Black Ferns and Black Ferns Sevens players will be available for their provinces with doubts over when the international programme will resume because of COVID-19 border restrictions.
A revised format will see teams compete in North and South pools, with a seven-week round-robin format before two weeks of playoff matches.
NZR Head of Women’s Rugby Cate Sexton said she was delighted that players and fans alike would have an exciting competition to look forward to.
"We are heading into a celebrated time for women’s rugby, with both the Olympics and the Rugby World Cup taking place next year," Sexton said.
"We believe that the Farah Palmer Cup will provide high-quality rugby for our players in their preparations."
"Notwithstanding the financial challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was always our intention to make sure we had a quality competition for our female players to compete in and we are really happy with this outcome.
"The Provincial Unions have been working incredibly hard to establish and develop their women’s high-performance programmes and as the game continues to grow, this competition is an exciting showcase of the women’s game."
The 2020 Farah Palmer Cup will be a critical piece of preparation for the Black Ferns as they eye their defence of the Rugby World Cup on home soil in September and October next year.
