By Priscilla Rotich
World Rugby has reviewed the updated qualification process for the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup. The process is intended to give teams more time to prepare and more opportunities to participate in the prestigious event.
All 24 teams for the expanded tournament will be known before the draw in January 2026. The 12 teams that secured their places in Australia at the last event will be joined by 12 qualifiers.
France, New Zealand, Italy, Ireland, South Africa, Scotland, Wales, Fiji, Australia, England, Argentina and Japan have all secured their places at the 2023 World Cup in France by finishing in the top three in their respective groups.
Sir Bill Beaumont, Chairman of World Rugby, said the organisation was committed to the fundamental principle of increasing opportunity and the combination of current regional tournaments, new inter-regional competitions and a final qualification process demonstrated this aim.
“We want teams to qualify through this process for the first round of Nations Championship Division 2, which begins in 2026. This has the great benefit of ensuring that all teams can compete strongly at a high level and prepare well in the lead up to the 2027 Rugby World Cup, raising standards globally,” Beaumont said.
World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin explained the expansion of RWC 2027 and the qualification process.
RWC 2023 featured three South American teams for the first time: Argentina, Uruguay and debutant Chile. Now the region has its direct qualification spot instead of competing with the USA and Canada for the aforementioned Americas 1 and 2.
Asia will also now be more strongly represented: the winners of the 2025 Asian Rugby Championship will qualify directly for the 2027 World Cup in Australia, potentially including countries such as Korea, Hong Kong and China.
The winners of the Rugby Africa Cup will continue to qualify, and new entrants such as Zimbabwe and Ivory Coast will look to secure their place alongside long-standing representatives Namibia and South Africa.
For the first time in Rugby World Cup history, there was no North American representative at the 2023 World Cup in France. This is likely to change at the next event, as the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup will serve as a qualifying tournament.
Fiji and Japan have already qualified, while Samoa, Tonga, the USA and Canada will compete for the remaining three Pacific spots. The lowest-placed team in the 2025 Pacific Nations Cup will compete with the runner-up of the 2025 Sudamerica Rugby Championship for a playoff spot.
Europe has four automatic places this time, with only the results of the 2025 Rugby European Championship counting for qualification. For countries such as Georgia, Portugal, Romania and possibly Spain, reaching the semi-finals is enough to secure a place in Australia.
The format for the 2027 Rugby World Cup will feature six groups of four teams each, with a round of 16 before the quarter-finals, shortening the tournament window from seven to six weeks.
The qualification process could also determine which teams will participate in the inaugural Nations Championship Division 2 in 2026.
Sir Beaumont commented: “This qualification process represents growth and sustainability for the entire game.”
“We are fully committed to the fundamental principle of expanded opportunities and the mix of existing regional competitions, new cross-regional competitions and a final qualification process reflects this ambition,” said Beaumont.
“Giving unions certainty in pursuing the Australian dream will enable teams to optimise their preparations and provide fans with an exciting path to next year’s 2027 Rugby World Cup, where all places will be up for grabs,” he added.
