diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 8718c4b83e2..3ebb8756df0 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -31,3 +31,5 @@ secret.env
 src/app/legacy/moment-timezone-include/tz
 tsconfig.tsbuildinfo
 src/service-worker-test.js
+# playwright report files
+__assets__ 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ws-nextjs-app/package.json b/ws-nextjs-app/package.json
index b21acd81b07..2678cf9c10a 100644
--- a/ws-nextjs-app/package.json
+++ b/ws-nextjs-app/package.json
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
     "@cypress/webpack-preprocessor": "7.0.1",
     "@jest/environment": "30.2.0",
     "@jest/types": "30.2.0",
+    "@playwright/test": "1.52.0",
     "@swc/core": "1.15.2",
     "@testing-library/jest-dom": "6.9.1",
     "@testing-library/react": "16.3.1",
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@
     "ts-node": "10.9.2"
   },
   "dependencies": {
+    "@bbc/unified-web-e2e-framework": "github:bbc/unified-web-e2e-framework#v2.1.8",
     "next": "16.1.6",
     "sharp": "0.34.5"
   }
diff --git a/ws-nextjs-app/playwright.config.ts b/ws-nextjs-app/playwright.config.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..295235e5c48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ws-nextjs-app/playwright.config.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+import { config } from '@bbc/unified-web-e2e-framework';
+
+config.testDir = 'playwright/specs';
+
+export default config;
diff --git a/ws-nextjs-app/playwright/.eslintrc b/ws-nextjs-app/playwright/.eslintrc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fe91e993ad6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ws-nextjs-app/playwright/.eslintrc
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{
+  "rules": {
+    // these rules seem to be used as the common pattern for looping elemnts in playwright
+    "no-restricted-syntax": ["off", "ForOfStatement"],
+    "no-await-in-loop": "off",
+  },
+}
diff --git a/ws-nextjs-app/playwright/README.md b/ws-nextjs-app/playwright/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ecee7d60f13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ws-nextjs-app/playwright/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# PlayWright
+
+To run the command
+`npx playwright test --project="WorldService - Chrome"npx playwright test --project="WorldService - Chrome"`
diff --git a/ws-nextjs-app/playwright/specs/homePage.spec.ts b/ws-nextjs-app/playwright/specs/homePage.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5fad27f54de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ws-nextjs-app/playwright/specs/homePage.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+/* eslint-disable cypress/no-async-tests */
+import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
+import runUrlValidationTest from '../support/helpers/runUrlValidationTest';
+
+const testSuites = [
+  {
+    path: '/arabic',
+    service: 'arabic',
+    variant: undefined,
+  },
+  {
+    path: '/dari',
+    service: 'dari',
+  },
+  {
+    path: '/kyrgyz',
+    service: 'kyrgyz',
+  },
+  {
+    path: '/magyarul',
+    service: 'magyarul',
+  },
+  {
+    path: '/polska',
+    service: 'polska',
+  },
+  {
+    path: '/portuguese',
+    service: 'portuguese',
+  },
+  {
+    path: '/romania',
+    service: 'romania',
+  },
+  {
+    path: '/serbian/lat',
+    service: 'serbian',
+    variant: 'lat',
+  },
+  {
+    path: '/serbian/cyr',
+    service: 'serbian',
+    variant: 'cyr',
+  },
+  {
+    path: '/uzbek/lat',
+    service: 'uzbek',
+    variant: 'lat',
+  },
+  {
+    path: '/uzbek/cyr',
+    service: 'uzbek',
+    variant: 'cyr',
+  },
+];
+
+// smoke tests
+testSuites.forEach(suite => {
+  test.describe(`Home Page - ${suite.service}${suite.variant ?? ''}`, () => {
+    test('all links within <main> element should be a valid World Service URL', async ({
+      page,
+    }) => {
+      await page.goto(suite.path);
+      await expect(page).toHaveURL(suite.path);
+      runUrlValidationTest(page);
+      // ToDo: check how to reuse the same browser instead of opening / reponeing
+      // ToDO: run canonicalTests, testsForAllCanonicalPages
+      // ToDo: differentiate between smoke / non-smoke
+      // ToDo: decide whether to migrate runPage or do a different mroe direct approach (even if it means more repetition)
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/ws-nextjs-app/playwright/specs/setupCheck.spec.ts b/ws-nextjs-app/playwright/specs/setupCheck.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a59feeeb271
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ws-nextjs-app/playwright/specs/setupCheck.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+// import { test, expect } from '@bbc/unified-web-e2e-framework';
+
+// test('Verify page title', async ({ page }) => {
+//   await page.goto('https://www.bbc.co.uk/');
+//   expect(await page.title()).toBe('BBC - Home');
+// });
+import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
+
+test.describe('Home Page - Arabic', () => {
+  test('should load and display expected content', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.goto('/arabic');
+    // Replace with actual selectors and checks
+    await expect(page.locator('h1')).toHaveText(/BBC News, عربي - الرئيسية/i);
+    // Add more assertions as needed
+  });
+});
diff --git a/ws-nextjs-app/playwright/support/helpers/runUrlValidationTest.ts b/ws-nextjs-app/playwright/support/helpers/runUrlValidationTest.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e7387fadc4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ws-nextjs-app/playwright/support/helpers/runUrlValidationTest.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import SERVICES from '#app/lib/config/services';
+
+const SERVICES_PATTERN = SERVICES.join('|');
+
+const VALID_HREF_REGEX = new RegExp(
+  `^https://www\\.bbc\\.com/(?:${SERVICES_PATTERN}|usingthebbc/[^/]+(?:/.*)?|programmes/[a-z0-9]{8,15})(?:/.*)?$`,
+);
+
+export default page => {
+  test('all links within <main> element should be a valid World Service URL', async () => {
+    const links = await page
+      .locator('main a[href^="https://www.bbc.com"]')
+      .elementHandles();
+
+    for (const link of links) {
+      const href = await link.getAttribute('href');
+      expect(href).not.toBeNull();
+      expect(href).toMatch(VALID_HREF_REGEX);
+    }
+  });
+};
diff --git a/ws-nextjs-app/playwright/support/runtTestForPage.playwright.ts b/ws-nextjs-app/playwright/support/runtTestForPage.playwright.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..41f0b4da57b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ws-nextjs-app/playwright/support/runtTestForPage.playwright.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+import { test as base, expect } from '@playwright/test';
+
+type TestType = (props: any, page: any) => void;
+
+export type TestDataType = {
+  path: string;
+  tests: TestType[];
+  runforEnv: string[];
+  service: string;
+  contentType?: string;
+  applicationType?: string;
+  siteId?: string;
+  pageIdentifier?: string;
+};
+
+type FunctionProps = {
+  pageType: string;
+  testSuites: TestDataType[];
+  beforeAll?: (() => void)[];
+  beforeEachFns?: (() => void)[];
+  testIsolation?: boolean;
+  headers?: Record<string, string>;
+};
+
+export default function runTestsForPage({
+  pageType,
+  testSuites,
+  beforeAll = [],
+  beforeEachFns = [],
+  testIsolation = false,
+  headers,
+}: FunctionProps) {
+  const serviceToRun = process.env.ONLY_SERVICE;
+
+  let testSuitesToRun = testSuites;
+  if (serviceToRun) {
+    testSuitesToRun = testSuites.filter(
+      ({ service }) => service === serviceToRun,
+    );
+  }
+
+  for (const testData of testSuitesToRun) {
+    const { path, tests, runforEnv, ...params } = testData;
+    const appEnv = process.env.APP_ENV ?? '';
+
+    if (
+      Array.isArray(runforEnv) &&
+      typeof appEnv === 'string' &&
+      runforEnv.includes(appEnv)
+    ) {
+      base.describe(`${path}`, () => {
+        base.beforeAll(async ({ page }) => {
+          for (const fn of beforeAll) fn();
+          await page.goto(path, { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded', headers });
+        });
+
+        base.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
+          for (const fn of beforeEachFns) fn();
+          // Add any Playwright-specific setup here
+        });
+
+        const testParams = {
+          path,
+          pageType,
+          ...params,
+        };
+
+        for (const testFn of tests) {
+          testFn(testParams, base);
+        }
+      });
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index ee83317e3ce..7da298d72b8 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -2573,6 +2573,19 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: unknown
   linkType: soft
 
+"@bbc/unified-web-e2e-framework@github:bbc/unified-web-e2e-framework#v2.1.8":
+  version: 2.1.8
+  resolution: "@bbc/unified-web-e2e-framework@https://github.com/bbc/unified-web-e2e-framework.git#commit=a6e605858bc882e9db220bf57515f7a40dfd6779"
+  dependencies:
+    node-fetch: "npm:^2.7.0"
+  bin:
+    createTunnel: ./bin/createTunnel.sh
+    getBinaryUrl: ./bin/getBinaryUrl.sh
+    runTestsOnSauceLabs: ./bin/runTests.js
+  checksum: 10/3125d9d01c0c0b6b316c58c19e56efa397b19700f81861a5fa7ec4e8eb17597a2f3e35ced95328cb2026ef1625c1c74d3832c7522b8dbdd7b2a9cb6e69be590b
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "@bbc/web-vitals@npm:2.5.3":
   version: 2.5.3
   resolution: "@bbc/web-vitals@npm:2.5.3"
@@ -4967,6 +4980,17 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"@playwright/test@npm:1.52.0":
+  version: 1.52.0
+  resolution: "@playwright/test@npm:1.52.0"
+  dependencies:
+    playwright: "npm:1.52.0"
+  bin:
+    playwright: cli.js
+  checksum: 10/e18a4eb626c7bc6cba212ff2e197cf9ae2e4da1c91bfdf08a744d62e27222751173e4b220fa27da72286a89a3b4dea7c09daf384d23708f284b64f98e9a63a88
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "@polka/url@npm:^1.0.0-next.24":
   version: 1.0.0-next.29
   resolution: "@polka/url@npm:1.0.0-next.29"
@@ -11523,6 +11547,16 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"fsevents@npm:2.3.2":
+  version: 2.3.2
+  resolution: "fsevents@npm:2.3.2"
+  dependencies:
+    node-gyp: "npm:latest"
+  checksum: 10/6b5b6f5692372446ff81cf9501c76e3e0459a4852b3b5f1fc72c103198c125a6b8c72f5f166bdd76ffb2fca261e7f6ee5565daf80dca6e571e55bcc589cc1256
+  conditions: os=darwin
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "fsevents@npm:^2.3.3, fsevents@npm:~2.3.2":
   version: 2.3.3
   resolution: "fsevents@npm:2.3.3"
@@ -11533,6 +11567,15 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"fsevents@patch:fsevents@npm%3A2.3.2#optional!builtin<compat/fsevents>":
+  version: 2.3.2
+  resolution: "fsevents@patch:fsevents@npm%3A2.3.2#optional!builtin<compat/fsevents>::version=2.3.2&hash=df0bf1"
+  dependencies:
+    node-gyp: "npm:latest"
+  conditions: os=darwin
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "fsevents@patch:fsevents@npm%3A^2.3.3#optional!builtin<compat/fsevents>, fsevents@patch:fsevents@npm%3A~2.3.2#optional!builtin<compat/fsevents>":
   version: 2.3.3
   resolution: "fsevents@patch:fsevents@npm%3A2.3.3#optional!builtin<compat/fsevents>::version=2.3.3&hash=df0bf1"
@@ -15697,6 +15740,30 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"playwright-core@npm:1.52.0":
+  version: 1.52.0
+  resolution: "playwright-core@npm:1.52.0"
+  bin:
+    playwright-core: cli.js
+  checksum: 10/42e13f5f98dc25ebc95525fb338a215b9097b2ba39d41e99972a190bf75d79979f163f5bc07b1ca06847ee07acb2c9b487d070fab67e9cd55e33310fc05aca3c
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
+"playwright@npm:1.52.0":
+  version: 1.52.0
+  resolution: "playwright@npm:1.52.0"
+  dependencies:
+    fsevents: "npm:2.3.2"
+    playwright-core: "npm:1.52.0"
+  dependenciesMeta:
+    fsevents:
+      optional: true
+  bin:
+    playwright: cli.js
+  checksum: 10/214175446089000c2ac997b925063b95f7d86d129c5d7c74caa5ddcb05bcad598dfd569d2133a10dc82d288bf67e7858877dcd099274b0b928b9c63db7d6ecec
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "please-upgrade-node@npm:^3.2.0":
   version: 3.2.0
   resolution: "please-upgrade-node@npm:3.2.0"
@@ -17447,9 +17514,11 @@ __metadata:
   version: 0.0.0-use.local
   resolution: "simorgh-nextjs@workspace:ws-nextjs-app"
   dependencies:
+    "@bbc/unified-web-e2e-framework": "github:bbc/unified-web-e2e-framework#v2.1.8"
     "@cypress/webpack-preprocessor": "npm:7.0.1"
     "@jest/environment": "npm:30.2.0"
     "@jest/types": "npm:30.2.0"
+    "@playwright/test": "npm:1.52.0"
     "@swc/core": "npm:1.15.2"
     "@testing-library/jest-dom": "npm:6.9.1"
     "@testing-library/react": "npm:16.3.1"