2027 Rugby World Cup

Last updated

2027 Rugby World Cup
Australia 2027 Bid Logo.svg
Tournament details
Host nationFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Dates1 October – 13 November 2027
No. of nations24 [1]
← 2023
2031 →

The 2027 Men's Rugby World Cup is scheduled to be the eleventh edition of the Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men's rugby union teams. It is scheduled to take place in Australia from 1 October to 13 November 2027.

Contents

The defending champions are South Africa, who defeated New Zealand 12–11 in the 2023 final.

Expansion

Talks of expanding the tournament to 24 teams had gone on for years, but the expansion talks had intensified after the performances of emerging nations like Chile and Portugal at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, and on 4 October 2023, it was reported that World Rugby decided to expand World Cup to 24 teams in order to help grow the sport. [2] Alan Gilpin, its chief executive, has thrown his weight behind the expansion plans and mentioned “very positive signs” due to encouraging performances of some lower-ranked nations during the 2023 Rugby World Cup. [3] A ‘Swiss model’ pool stage similar to those adopted by the European Rugby Champions Cup and football’s UEFA Champions League or six pools of four with an additional round of 16 were under consideration. [4] The expansion to 24 teams was confirmed on 24 October. [5] [6] [7]

Format

Finals format

To accommodate the expansion from a 20-team finals tournament to 24 teams, the format was changed from the one used in 2023 with the addition of two extra groups in the group stage, and an extra round in the knockout phase. [8]

Development and preparations

Australia won their bid to host the 2027 Rugby World Cup on 12 May 2022. [9]

Venues

Nine venues in seven cities are potential match venues for the tournament. [10]

Sydney, New South Wales Newcastle, New South Wales
Stadium Australia a Sydney Football Stadium ab Newcastle International Sports Centre
Capacity: 82,000Capacity: 42,500Capacity: 30,000
2022 NRLGF stadium.jpg SydneyFootballStadium Aug2022 Pre-open.jpg Ausgrid Stadium (cropped).jpg
Melbourne, Victoria Adelaide, South Australia
Melbourne Cricket Ground Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
(Olympic Boulevard, Victoria)		 Adelaide Oval a
Capacity: 100,024Capacity: 30,050Capacity: 53,500
2017 AFL Grand Final panorama during national anthem.jpg AAMI Park - FIFAWWC 2023 (3).jpg Adelaide Oval hosts Wallabies and Springboks Rugby Union 27 August 2022.jpg
Perth, Western Australia Brisbane, Queensland Townsville, Queensland
Perth Stadium Lang Park a North Queensland Stadium
Capacity: 65,000Capacity: 52,500Capacity: 25,000
E37 Perth Stadium Open Day 089.JPG Suncorp Stadium Brisbane Australia 01.jpg 2021 State of Origin Game 1 Queensland Country Bank Stadium National Anthem.jpg

a Stadium/site used in 2003 Rugby World Cup. ab Stadium now built on the land of the old Sydney Football Stadium.

Teams

Qualification

A total of 12 teams gained automatic qualification for the tournament by finishing in the top three of their pool at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, these positions being determined at the close of the pool stage. [11]

Qualified teams
RegionTeamQualification
method		Previous
apps		Previous best result World Rugby
Ranking¹
Africa Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa Top 3 in 2023 RWC pool8Champions(1995, 2007, 2019, 2023)
Asia Flag of Japan.svg  Japan Top 3 in 2023 RWC pool10Quarter-finals (2019)
Europe Flag of England.svg  England Top 3 in 2023 RWC pool10Champions(2003)
Flag of France.svg  France Top 3 in 2023 RWC pool10Runners-up (1987, 1999, 2011)
IRFU flag.svg  Ireland Top 3 in 2023 RWC pool10Quarter-finals (eight times)
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Top 3 in 2023 RWC pool10Pool stage (ten times)
Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland Top 3 in 2023 RWC pool10Fourth place (1991)
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales Top 3 in 2023 RWC pool10Third place (1987)
Oceania Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Hosts10Champions(1991, 1999)
Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji Top 3 in 2023 RWC pool9Quarter-finals (1987, 2007, 2023)
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand Top 3 in 2023 RWC pool10Champions(1987, 2011, 2015)
South America Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Top 3 in 2023 RWC pool10Third place (2007)

Bidding

World Rugby was hoping to award the bids for both the 2027 and 2031 men's World Cups (along with the bids for the 2025 and 2029 women's World Cups) by May 2022. The process of talking to prospective nations began in February 2021 with the formal candidate process commencing three months later. Finalists were evaluated in February 2022. [12]

As of June 2019, Argentina, Australia and Russia had declared their interest in hosting the 2027 Rugby World Cup, [13] [14] but Argentina withdrew their bid in April 2020, leaving two bidders. [15] There was speculation that the United States and South Africa would be interested in hosting the event, but the South African Rugby Union has stated that it would not be bidding for the 2027 World Cup. [16]

World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont suggested in late 2018 that the host of the Rugby World Cup following the 2023 event in France could be an emerging nation. [17] World Rugby CEO Brett Gosper also suggested in 2019 that World Rugby may bid the 2027 and 2031 World Cups together (as they did with England 2015 and Japan 2019), so that they could make “a bolder decision and a traditional decision.” [18] The hosts for the 2027 and 2031 tournaments will be revealed in May 2022. [19]

The fact that three consecutive World Cups (England 2015, Japan 2019, and France 2023) will have occurred in the northern hemisphere made the southern hemisphere countries considered the favourites. [20]

On 12 May 2022, it was announced that Australia would host the 2027 Rugby World Cup. [21]

Announced bidders

Australia

Rugby Australia announced on 13 December 2017 that Australia would bid for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. [22] Australia has previously hosted the inaugural 1987 Rugby World Cup together with New Zealand, as well as the 2003 Rugby World Cup on its own.

Withdrawn bids

Argentina

Argentina had announced on 5 October 2016 that it would bid for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, but withdrew its bid in April 2020. Argentina has never hosted the tournament before, and World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont had pledged that he would back the right of countries such as Argentina to bid for the event. [23] Argentina is the only country to reach the World Cup semi-finals that has not hosted any World Cup matches. [24] In April 2020, Argentina withdrew its bid to strengthen the Australian bid, making Australia favourites for the 2027 Rugby World Cup host. [15] [25]

Russia

Stanislav Druzhinin of the Russian Rugby Union said at a meeting on 31 May 2019 that Russia would apply to host the 2027 Rugby World Cup. Russia would use the 2018 FIFA World Cup stadiums and legacy for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. [26] [27] President Vladimir Putin backed Russia's bid to host the 2027 Rugby World Cup. [28]

Rugby Union of Russia could not proceed with its bid to host after Court of Arbitration for Sport imposed a two-year ban on 17 December 2020 on Russia hosting any major sports tournament. [29]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rugby World Cup</span> International mens rugby union competition

The Rugby World Cup is a men's rugby union tournament contested every four years between the top international teams, the winners of which are recognised as the World champions of the sport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Rugby</span> International governing body of rugby union and its variants

World Rugby is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. World Rugby organises the Rugby World Cup every four years, the sport's most recognised and most profitable competition. It also organises a number of other international competitions, such as the World Rugby Sevens Series, the Rugby World Cup Sevens, the World Under 20 Championship, and the Pacific Nations Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rugby World Cup Sevens</span> International rugby sevens tournament

Rugby World Cup Sevens (RWCS) is the quadrennial world championship of rugby sevens, a variant of rugby union. Organised by World Rugby, it currently consists of men's and women's tournaments, and is the highest level of competition in the sport outside of the Summer Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Rugby World Cup</span> 7th Rugby World Cup

The 2011 Rugby World Cup, was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board (IRB) selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005. The tournament was won by New Zealand, who defeated France 8–7 in the final. The defending champions, South Africa, were eliminated by Australia 11–9 in the quarter-finals. The result marked the third time that the tournament was won by the country that hosted the event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Rugby World Cup</span> 8th Rugby World Cup

The IRB2015 Rugby World Cup was the eighth Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial rugby union world championship. The tournament was hosted by England from 18 September to 31 October. Of the 20 countries competing in the World Cup in 2011, there was only one change: Uruguay replaced Russia. This was the first World Cup with no new teams to the tournament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rugby union in the United States</span>

Rugby union in the United States is played at youth, high school, college, amateur, professional, and international levels and governed by USA Rugby. There were over 125,000 players registered with USA Rugby as of 2016. Over 2,500 rugby union clubs exist around the country, including those who are part of college rugby. Professional club competition has existed as Major League Rugby (MLR) since 2017.

Rugby World Cup records have been accumulating since the first Rugby World Cup tournament was held in 1987.

The Rugby World Cup host nation is selected by World Rugby at a meeting six years before each tournament. Each of the Rugby World Cups from 1987 to 2015 were hosted by countries that are considered the traditional powers in World Rugby. The first non Rugby Championship or Six Nations country to host a Rugby World Cup was Japan in 2019, after failed bids for the 2011 and 2015 tournaments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women's Rugby World Cup</span> International rugby union for women

The women's Rugby World Cup is the women's rugby union world championship which is organised by World Rugby. The first Rugby World Cup for women was held in 1991, but it was not until the 1998 tournament that the tournament received official backing from the International Rugby Board ; by 2009, the IRB had retroactively recognized the 1991 and 1994 tournaments and their champions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australia at the Rugby World Cup</span>

The Australia national rugby union team, known as the Wallabies, has played in all ten Rugby World Cup tournaments. They have won the World Cup on two occasions; only New Zealand and South Africa have won more. Australia has hosted or co-hosted the tournament twice – in 1987 and 2003, and is scheduled to host it in 2027.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Rugby World Cup</span> Ninth edition of the Rugby World Cup

The 2019 Rugby World Cup was the ninth edition of the Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men's rugby union teams. It was hosted in Japan from 20 September to 2 November in 12 venues all across the country. The opening match was played at Ajinomoto Stadium in Chōfu, Tokyo, with the final match being held at International Stadium Yokohama in Yokohama. This was the first time that the tournament had taken place in Asia and outside the traditional Tier 1 rugby nations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ireland at the Rugby World Cup</span>

The Ireland national rugby union team have played in all ten Rugby World Cup tournaments. They have reached the quarter-finals at all but two tournaments, but have yet to progress to the semi-finals. They have finished top of their pool on three occasions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States at the Rugby World Cup</span>

The United States national rugby union team has played in all but two Rugby World Cups since the inaugural tournament in 1987. The USA is the second strongest national rugby side in North America, and the third strongest in the Americas after Argentina and Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Rugby World Cup</span> Tenth edition of the mens Rugby World Cup

The 2023 Rugby World Cup was the tenth men's Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for national rugby union teams. It took place in France from 8 September to 28 October 2023 in nine venues across the country. The opening game and final took place at the Stade de France, north of Paris. The tournament was held in the bicentenary year of the purported invention of the sport by William Webb Ellis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FIFA Women's World Cup hosts</span> List of hosts

Eight countries have been chosen FIFA Women's World Cup hosts in the competition's nine editions from the inaugural tournament in 1991 until the tournament played in 2023.

The qualification process of women's teams for the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens. Automatic qualification was extended to the host and the four semifinalists of the previous cup's tournament. The remaining spots were contested in each of the six regions' respective tournaments.

Three bids to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup (RWC2023) were submitted to World Rugby by the June 2017 deadline, with France selected on 15 November 2017 ahead of Ireland and South Africa. Italy withdrew its bid in September 2016, while Argentina and the United States initially expressed interest but ultimately decided against a formal bid. RWC2023 will be France's first time as sole host, having been principal host in 2007, co-host in 1991, and subsidiary host in 1999.

The 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup is scheduled to be the tenth edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup, the quadrennial international women's football championship contested by the national teams of the member associations of FIFA. The tournament will include 32 teams for the second time after FIFA announced the expansion of the tournament in July 2019. Spain are the defending champions, having won their first title in 2023.

The 2031 Rugby World Cup is the twelfth edition of the Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men's rugby union teams. It is scheduled to take place in the United States, tentatively from September to October 2031. This will be the first time the tournament is held in the Americas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2025 Rugby World Cup</span> Tenth edition of the Womens Rugby World Cup

The 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup will be the tenth edition of the women's Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for national rugby union teams, organised by World Rugby. It is scheduled to take place in England between 22 August and 27 September 2025. The opening game will take place at the Stadium of Light with the final scheduled to be held at Twickenham Stadium.

References

  1. ↑ "Historic rugby calendar reform to supercharge reach and competitiveness". World Rugby Council. 24 October 2023. Archived from the original on 25 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  2. ↑ Kitson, Robert (4 October 2023). "World Rugby to reject plate competition for emerging nations at World Cups". Guardian. Archived from the original on 6 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  3. ↑ Rumsby, Ben (27 September 2023). "Rugby World Cup organisers eye expanded 24-team tournament and new pool-stage format". Telegraph. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  4. ↑ Kelleher, Will (27 September 2023). "Rugby World Cup could be expanded to 24 teams from 2027". Times. Archived from the original on 5 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  5. ↑ "Rugby World Cup 2027 expanded to 24 teams ｜ Rugby World Cup 2023". www.rugbyworldcup.com. Archived from the original on 25 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  6. ↑ "Historic rugby calendar reform to supercharge reach and competitiveness". www.rugbyworldcup.com. Archived from the original on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  7. ↑ "2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia expanding to 24 teams with shorter schedule". AP News. 24 October 2023. Archived from the original on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  8. ↑ "Rugby World Cup 2027 expanded to 24 teams". World Rugby (Press release). 24 October 2023. Archived from the original on 25 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  9. ↑ "2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia expanding to 24 teams with shorter schedule". AP News . 24 October 2023. Archived from the original on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  10. ↑ "Men's RWC 2027 Team Base EOI". worldrugby.app.box.com. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  11. ↑ "England among 12 teams to automatically qualify for 2027 Rugby World Cup". Ruck. 14 October 2023. Archived from the original on 1 December 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  12. ↑ "USA Rugby considering bid for Rugby World Cup 2027". Stuff. 14 August 2020. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  13. ↑ "Australia to bid for 2027 Rugby World Cup and 2021 women's tournament". Guardian Australia . 13 December 2017. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  14. ↑ "Argentina announces 2027 Rugby World Cup bid". Rugby.com.au . 5 October 2016. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  15. 1 2 Mulvanney, Nick (16 April 2020). "Argentina ready to abandon 2027 Rugby World Cup bid making Australia strong favourites to host tournament". The Independent . Archived from the original on 23 April 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  16. ↑ Richardson, James (16 August 2020). "South Africa will not bid for 2027 or 2031 Rugby World Cup – Reports". The South African . Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  17. ↑ "Australia and South Africa could miss out on 2027 Rugby World Cup as Bill Beaumont says another emerging nation could host tournament". Fox Sports Australia . 20 September 2018. Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  18. ↑ "Rugby World Cup in sights of United States". www.insidethegames.biz. 26 September 2019. Archived from the original on 3 November 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  19. ↑ "Rugby World Cup 2027 and 2031 hosts to be announced in May 2022". www.rugby-addict.com. 13 August 2020. Archived from the original on 13 September 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  20. ↑ Neville, Conor (15 November 2017). "Why France win was the worst possible result for Ireland". RTÉ Sport . Archived from the original on 12 September 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  21. ↑ "Rugby World Cup 2025: England to host women's tournament". BBC Sport. 12 May 2022. Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  22. ↑ "Australia bidding for 2027 Rugby World Cup". SBS News . 13 December 2017. Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  23. ↑ Cleary, Mick (17 November 2017). "I will not resign, insists beleaguered Bill Beaumont in the eye of World Cup storm". The Telegraph . Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  24. ↑ Tait, Paul (25 April 2017). "RWC 2027 in Argentina will cost US$200 million". Americas Rugby News. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  25. ↑ Gillen, Nancy (16 April 2020). "Argentina withdraw 2027 Rugby World Cup bid to strengthen Australian campaign". insidethegames.biz. Archived from the original on 29 April 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  26. ↑ "Russia To Bid To Host RWC 2027". 6 October 2019. Archived from the original on 3 November 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  27. ↑ Dyachkova, Elena (31 May 2019). "Федерация регби России может подать заявку на проведение КМ-2027" [Russian Rugby Federation will apply to host the 2027 Rugby World Cup]. Ria (in Russian). Archived from the original on 1 June 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  28. ↑ "Vladamir Putin has backed Russian bid to host the 2027 Rugby World Cup". 29 July 2020. Archived from the original on 2 November 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  29. ↑ "Россия не сможет претендовать на проведение Кубка мира по регби из-за решения CAS" (in Russian). 30 March 2021. Archived from the original on 3 December 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.