The date for the 2027 Rugby World Cup draw has been confirmed, with former Wallaby Morgan Turinui set to host the event.
Supporting Turinui at the draw will be World Rugby Chair and former Australian international Brett Robinson, All Blacks legend and two-time Rugby World Cup winner Dan Carter, former Wallabies captain and Australia’s most-capped player James Slipper and Olympic gold medallist and former Australian Sevens star Alicia Lucas.
When will the draw be made, and where can I watch it?
World Rugby have confirmed that the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 draw will be made at 20:00 AEDT (GMT+11) on Wednesday, 3 December, streamed live on Stan Sport, 9Gem and 9Now in Australia and streamed globally via RugbyPass TV and World Rugby YouTube.
The event will consist of a comprehensive pre-show building anticipation for the draw, followed by an in-depth post-show unpacking every pool, storyline and match-up emerging from the night, including live reactions from the Wallabies.
How are the teams drawn?
Teams are seeded in four bands of six teams based on their place in the world rankings at the time of the draw, with each pool having one team from each of the four bands.
Men’s Rugby World Cup Australia 2027 Managing Director, Chris Stanley, said: “With all 24 teams now confirmed for Men’s Rugby World Cup Australia 2027, the draw is an important moment for players, fans and the global rugby community. We’re thrilled to have such a distinguished line-up of legends leading the draw and know their insight, passion, and expertise will make this event truly memorable.”
Which teams are in the draw?
Band 1: South Africa, New Zealand, England, Ireland, France, Argentina
Band 2: Australia, Fiji, Scotland, Italy, Georgia, Wales
Band 3: Japan, Spain, Uruguay, United States, Samoa, Chile
Band 4: Tonga, Portugal, Romania, Hong Kong, Canada, Zimbabwe
When will the Rugby World Cup take place, and when can I buy tickets?
The Men’s Rugby World Cup Australia 2027 will be held between 1 October and 13 November 2027 and will be the first tournament to feature an expanded format, contested by the world’s top 24 teams.
With 250,000 international visitors expected over the six-week period, RWC 2027 is projected to generate AUD$1.3 billion in direct visitor expenditure across the country and seven host cities, while inspiring a nation to embrace rugby, aiming for 200,000 participants by 2029.
The first opportunity for fans to secure their place at RWC 2027 will be in February 2026 during an exclusive pre-sale for those who have registered their interest at rugbyworldcup.com/2027. All matches and price categories will be available during this pre-sale, and fans are encouraged to register early to give themselves the best chance to secure tickets.
Who won the last World Cup?
South Africa famously won the last World Cup, beating their old rivals New Zealand in a tense final at the Stade de France in Paris. This victory ensured that the Springboks became the most successful country in the history of the competition, winning four of the eight competitions they’ve been involved in, and winning their second title in a row.
Speaking after the final whistle, Springbok captain Siya Kolisi told ITV: “What happened in the last World Cup, we were trying to get the name of the Springboks back. People were just hoping we would do it, but now people were expecting for us to do it,
“The way that they have been behind us from the beginning. There’s so much that’s going wrong with our country, we are basically the last line of defence.
“There are so many people who come from where I come from who are in hopeless (situations). There’s so much division in the country, but we show, as people with different backgrounds, that it is possible to work together in South Africa, not just on the rugby field but in life in general.
“Look what this sport did in 1995, we can’t go away from that. Without that, I wouldn’t be here. There were people before me who fought for the opportunity for people who look like me to be able to play in this team. They never got to experience that.
“I’ve got a job to make sure I give everything I can to the jersey to inspire the next generation.”