LINDIZ VAN ZILLA looks at how Wednesday’s 24-team draw for the 2027 World Cup will be conducted and the new format of the expanded tournament.
When does the tournament kick off?
Hosts Australia will play the opening game at Perth Stadium on 1 October 2027. The final will take place at the 82-000 capacity Stadium Australia in Sydney on 13 November.
Where will games be played?
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth, Sydney and Townsville.
Which teams have qualified?
When is the draw?
It takes place in Sydney on Wednesday (11am SA time).
How is the draw determined?
The World Rugby rankings at the end of the November internationals was used to create four bands of six teams. The six top-ranked teams are in Band 1 and the top seeds. The rest of the bands are filled up according to world rankings. At the draw on Wednesday, teams from each of the four bands will be drawn randomly into Pool A, B, C, D, E or F. The only exception to this is host nation Australia who are in Pool A as they will contest the opening game. The Wallabies are currently in Band 2, which means when the draw is made, a team from Band 1 will be drawn and placed in Pool A, and be joined automatically by Australia. That means the Wallabies can be grouped with any one of the Springboks, the All Blacks, England, France and Ireland and Argentina.
Why is the draw done now?
The draw is almost two years before kick-off. However, in Rugby World Cup terms, it’s actually quite late – the 2023 draw happened in December 2020! The early draw helps with logistical arrangements for teams, host cities, fans, sponsors and more.
2027 RWC: Main contenders await draw fate
What’s different about the 2027 World Cup?
The number of teams has increased from 20 to 24, which means an increase in matches from 48 to 52. Despite this, the 2027 tournament will last 43 days, compared to the 2023 edition’s 50. A minimum of five rest days will be observed and the team who is crowned world champions will play a total of seven matches – the same as in 2023. A run to the final would therefor include three pool matches, followed by round-of-16 playoff, quarter-final, semi-final and final.
2027 RWC: Making up the numbers
How does the pool stage work?
With 20 teams previously, this meant four pools of five teams, with the top two in each pool progressing to the quarter-finals, which constituted the first round of the knockouts. At Australia 2027, there will be 24 teams, meaning six pools of four teams each. The top two teams from each pool will progress to the round of 16, while the four best third-place teams will also progress.
Photo: Tom Jenkins/Getty Images
