When is the Rugby World Cup 2027? Teams, pots and how to watch

The 24 nations that have qualified for the Rugby World Cup 2027 will discover what awaits them down under this week.

The tournament in Australia, which is still more than 21 months away, has been expanded from 20 teams to reflect the impressive development of emerging nations in recent years.

As a result, the format has been revamped, with an additional pool and an extra round of knockout matches added for those teams that make it through.

2023 winners South Africa will head to Australia hunting the threepeat, but in the likes of New Zealand, Ireland, France, England and others, they will have plenty of competition.

With the best players in the men's game all in one place and the sport's ultimate prize, the Webb Ellis Cup, on the line, it promises to be a celebration of rugby. Once we know the pools and schedule in full, the excitement can really start building.

RadioTimes.com brings you all the details for the Rugby World Cup 2027 draw.

When is the Rugby World Cup 2027 draw?

The draw for the Rugby World Cup 2027 will take place on Wednesday 3rd December 2025.

The draw will be made at approximately 9am UK time.

You can watch the Rugby World Cup 2027 draw live on World Rugby's YouTube channel.

What are the pots for Rugby World Cup 2027 draw?

The 24 teams are sorted into four bands of six based on their place in the World Rankings. The expanded tournament will feature six pools of four teams, with one team from each band drawn into each of the pools.

Hosts Australia are guaranteed to be drawn into Pool A but will be joined by one of the top seeds as they're seventh in the World Rankings.

The full bands are as follows:

Band 1:

• South Africa
• New Zealand
• England
• Ireland
• France
• Argentina

Band 2:

• Australia
• Fiji
• Scotland
• Italy
• Wales
• Japan

Band 3:

• Georgia
• Uruguay
• Spain
• United States
• Chile
• Tonga

Band 4:

• Samoa
• Portugal
• Romania
• Hong Kong
• Zimbabwe
• Canada

When is the Rugby World Cup 2027?

The Rugby World Cup 2027 will start on Friday 1st October 2027 and run until the final on Saturday 13th November 2027.

The expanded tournament is set to be held in Australia. The host cities have been confirmed as Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth, Sydney and Townsville.

The full match schedule is set to be announced on Wednesday 3rd December 2025.

Check out more of our Sport coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.