2027 Rugby World Cup - Confirmed pools for the 2027 Rugby World Cup
The 2027 Rugby World Cup, set to be held in Australia from 1 October, promises to be a groundbreaking tournament with a total of 24 teams participating for the first time. Teams have been categorized into six groups of four based on World Rankings as of 30 November 2025. This inaugural format includes an expanded knockout stage, where the top two teams from each group, along with the best four third-placed teams, will progress to a newly introduced round of 16. Additional safety measures ensure no team plays more than the usual seven matches, with the number of overall matches increasing to 54.
- 2027 Rugby World Cup to feature 24 teams for the first time.
- New round of 16 introduced; top two teams plus four best third-placed advance.
- Total number of matches increased to 54 with safety measures in place.
Rugby World Cup draw takes place on 3 December 2025 (Getty Images)
The 2027 Rugby World Cup draw is complete. The tournament starts on 1 October 2027 in Australia.
This is the first time we will have 24 teams at the World Cup. The teams were placed into four bands based on the World Rankings as of 30 November 2025.
There are six groups of four teams. The top two teams from each group qualify while the best four third placed sides will also advance to the round of 16 - another first for the Rugby World Cup.
2027 Rugby World Cup Pools
| Band | Pool A | Pool B | Pool C | Pool D | Pool E | Pool F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Zealand | South Africa | Argentina | Ireland | France | England |
| 2 | Australia | Italy | Fiji | Scotland | Japan | Wales |
| 3 | Chile | Georgia | Spain | Uruguay | USA | Tonga |
| 4 | Hong Kong China | Romania | Canada | Portugal | Samoa | Zimbabwe |
Below are the bands:
| Band 1 | Band 2 | Band 3 | Band 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | Australia | Georgia | Samoa |
| New Zealand | Fiji | Uruguay | Portugal |
| England | Scotland | Spain | Romania |
| Ireland | Italy | USA | Hong Kong |
| France | Wales | Chile | Zimbabwe |
| Argentina | Japan | Tonga | Canada |
In compliance with player safety, no team will play more than the usual games at the Rugby World Cup. To win win/lose in the final, you will still play the usual seven matches. However, the tournament matches have increased from 48 to 54 with at least five-day turnarounds between group games.
In order to explain who plays who in the round of 16, we thought it best to use an image from the Rugby World Cup, rather than try explaining it in words.
All eyes will be on Sydney come Wednesday morning (in South Africa and Europe) to see where the Springboks will be drawn. Most top teams would probably prefer to miss Pool A where Australia will be found, but one is guaranteed to find themselves there.
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