World Rugby has announced the composition of the draw pots for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, which will take place in Australia. The placement of each team within the pots is based on the updated international rankings.
The Defined Pots
Pot 1 will include New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, France, England, and Argentina, forming the top-seeded group of the tournament.
Pot 2 will feature Scotland, Fiji, Italy, Georgia, Wales, and Australia. As the host nation, the Wallabies already have a guaranteed place in Group A, where they will also play the opening match on October 1, 2027.
Pot 3 will be made up of Japan, Spain, Uruguay, Chile, Tonga, and the United States, while Pot 4 will include Portugal, Romania, Hong Kong China, Canada, Zimbabwe, and Samoa. Each tournament group will consist of one team from each pot, with the sole exception of the pre-assigned spot for the hosts.
A World Cup with a New Format
The 2027 World Cup will introduce a significant structural change to the competition. For the first time, 24 teams will take part, expanding the previous format of 20 teams used since the 2023 edition in France. The initial phase will be divided into six groups of four teams, with the top two from each group and the four best third-placed teams advancing to the round of 16.
The tournament will feature 52 matches, four more than in the previous edition, and will be played across seven Australian cities: Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth, Sydney, and Townsville.