Countdown Begins for Expanded 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia
Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail
SYDNEY: The countdown to the 2027 Rugby World Cup has begun, with Australia preparing to host the largest edition of the tournament to date.
The 11th Rugby World Cup will begin on October 1, 2027, with a record 24 teams set to compete across six weeks. The tournament has been expanded from the previous 20-team format.
Matches will be played in seven Australian cities — Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Townsville and Newcastle. A total of 52 games are scheduled during the competition.
Strong Demand for Tickets
Interest in the tournament has been strong, with more than 750,000 tickets sold during the pre-sale period to supporters from 135 countries.
Fans from Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Japan and France have accounted for a significant share of early purchases. Supporters from Chile, the United States and Canada have also shown strong interest.
Among the most sought-after fixtures are Australia versus New Zealand, England versus Wales, Ireland versus Scotland and matches in the knockout rounds.
World Rugby chairman Brett Robinson said the early ticket demand was an encouraging sign ahead of the tournament.
The 2023 Rugby World Cup in France attracted around 2.4 million spectators. Australia has approximately 2.5 million tickets available for the 2027 tournament, putting the event on course to set a new attendance record.
South Africa Aim for Another Title
Only four countries have previously won the men’s Rugby World Cup. South Africa have four titles, followed by New Zealand with three, Australia with two and England with one.
The Springboks enter the tournament after a strong run of results. South Africa recently defeated New Zealand in a four-Test series, strengthening their position at the top of the world rankings.
South Africa have been drawn in Pool B alongside Italy, Georgia and Romania.
New Zealand will compete in Pool A with Australia, Chile and debutants Hong Kong. The All Blacks are seeking their first World Cup title since 2015 after narrowly losing the 2023 final to South Africa.
New Tournament Format
The expansion to 24 teams has also brought changes to the competition structure. Instead of four pools containing five teams each, the tournament will feature six pools of four teams.
The pool stage will conclude on October 17, 2027, with five matches scheduled on the same day.
The top two teams from each pool, along with the four best third-placed teams, will advance to a newly introduced round of 16.
Quarter-finals will be staged in Sydney and Brisbane, while the semi-finals and final will take place at the 82,000-capacity Stadium Australia in Sydney. The World Cup final is scheduled for November 13, 2027.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth against Hong Kong, with the expanded competition expected to attract supporters from around the world.
