World Rugby Confirms RWC 2027 Pool Draw Set For December
Flanker Josh van der Flier is pictured in possession during the first Test between Ireland and South Africa in Pretoria in July 2024 ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan
World Rugby have today announced that the pool draw for the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup in Australia will take place with the identity of all 24 participating teams known.
Scheduled for December later this year, the draw will be based on the World Rugby Men’s Rankings at the end of the November international window.
This approach ensures a more accurate and up-to-date seeding process, and adds significant weight to every international Test match played in the remainder of the calendar year.
Ireland are scheduled to play four matches in November, kicking off with a much-anticipated return to Chicago to play New Zealand on Saturday, November 1.
That is followed by three high-octane encounters at the Aviva Stadium, starting with Japan on Saturday, November 8, before the return of Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies on Saturday, November 15, and then the visit of reigning World champions South Africa on Saturday, November 22.
Ticket information for those home Autumn Nations Series matches will be available in July – sign up here to get the latest Ireland team and ticket news.
Ireland (89.83 points) are currently third in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings, behind South Africa (92.78) and New Zealand (90.36), and just ahead of France (89.51).
With the rankings set to determine the banding of teams for the Rugby World Cup pool draw, results between now and December could directly impact the make-up of the six pools of four.
Fixtures played during the British & Irish Lions tour – a major event in its own right and a key milestone in a golden decade for rugby in Australia – will not be counted towards the rankings used for Rugby World Cup seeding purposes.
The final team to book their place at the World Cup will be decided at a qualification tournament in Dubai in November. A total of four teams will compete in a round-robin format across three match days.
The team finishing top of the standings will secure the last spot at Australia 2027, completing the line-up for what promises to be the biggest and most inclusive edition of the World Cup to date.
Belgium are the first team confirmed to participate in the event, having finished fifth in this year’s Rugby Europe Championship.
They will be joined by three more teams still to be determined through ongoing regional qualification pathways – the Rugby Africa Cup, the Asia Rugby Championship, the Sudamérica Rugby Championship, and the Pacific Nations Cup.
Representing four continents, the participating teams will reflect the global growth of the game and the increasing competitiveness of emerging rugby nations.
World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson commented: “The Final Qualification Tournament is always a thrilling, do-or-die moment in the build-up to the Rugby World Cup – and it’s fitting that we bring it to a world-class destination like Dubai.
“As we head towards the most inclusive and globally representative tournament ever, with 24 teams competing in an expanded format and at least one nation from each of our regional associations, this final step on the ‘Journey to Australia 2027’ will be a celebration of ambition, resilience, and the global spirit of rugby.
“We cannot wait to see which team earns the final place and joins us for what promises to be a unique celebration of rugby and Australia in 2027.”