The 2027 Rugby World Cup, hosted in Australia, marks the tournament’s first expansion to 24 teams. Scheduled from October 1 to November 13, 2027, the event will feature 12 teams already qualified based on their performance in the 2023 Rugby World Cup, with an additional 12 spots filled through regional and global qualification tournaments.
Teams Already Qualified
The following teams secured their places by finishing in the top three of their respective pools during the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France:
- France
- New Zealand
- Italy
- Ireland
- South Africa
- Scotland
- Wales
- Fiji
- Australia
- England
- Argentina
- Japan
Qualification for the Remaining 12 Teams
The remaining spots will be determined through a structured qualification process involving various regional and cross-regional tournaments. Below is a breakdown by region and the participating nations.
Europe (4 spots)
The top four teams in the 2025 Rugby Europe Championship will qualify directly for the World Cup. Teams competing in this tournament include:
- Georgia
- Portugal
- Romania
- Spain
- Belgium
- Netherlands
- Germany
- Switzerland
These teams will battle in a high-stakes competition, with the semi-finals securing direct qualification.
Pacific (3 spots)
The 2025 Pacific Nations Cup will determine three qualifiers, excluding already-qualified Fiji and Japan. The following nations will compete:
- Samoa
- Tonga
- USA
- Canada
The lowest-ranked team in this competition will enter a playoff against the runner-up of the South America Championship for another qualification spot.
Africa (1 spot)
The 2025 Rugby Africa Cup winner will earn Africa’s direct qualification spot. Competing teams include:
- Namibia
- Kenya
- Zimbabwe
- Ivory Coast
- Senegal
- Uganda
- Algeria
- Nigeria or Tunisia – Winner of 2024 Men’s Rugby Africa Cup Repechage
Namibia, a regular World Cup participant, faces growing competition from teams like Zimbabwe and Kenya.
Asia (1 spot)
The champion of the 2025 Asia Rugby Men’s Championship will secure Asia’s spot. Contenders are:
- Hong Kong
- South Korea
- Sri Lanka
- UAE
Hong Kong, a strong regional force, looks to break through after consistently reaching the final repechage stages in past cycles. Sri Lanka won the 2024 Asia Rugby Men’s Division 1, earning them promotion into the 2025 Championship.
South America (1 spot)
The 2025 Sudamérica Rugby Championship will produce one direct qualifier. Participating teams include:
- Uruguay
- Chile
- Brazil
- Paraguay
Uruguay and Chile have both previously appeared at recent World Cups, with the Chileans making their tournament debut at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. Los Condores finished bottom of Pool D, which included battles with England, Samoa, Japan and South American rivals Argentina.
South America/Pacific Playoff (1 spot)
The runner-up of the Sudamérica Rugby Championship will face the lowest-ranked Pacific Nations Cup team in a playoff to earn a spot in the tournament. The specific match-up will depend on results from the regional tournaments.
Final Qualification Tournament (1 spot)
The last spot will be decided in a round-robin Final Qualification Repecharge Tournament in November 2025. This event will feature:
- The third-placed team from the Sudamérica Rugby Championship
- The loser of the South America/Pacific playoff
- The fifth-placed team from the Rugby Europe Championship
- The winner of a play-off between the runners-up of the Rugby Africa Cup and the Asia Rugby Men’s Championship
With the Rugby World Cup’s expansion, the qualification process has become an exciting global spectacle, offering new opportunities for emerging rugby nations. The journey to the 2027 tournament will showcase fierce competition and underline rugby’s growing global footprint. Fans can anticipate thrilling matchups as teams vie for the coveted spots on the sport’s biggest stage.
