Overview
- Six pools are confirmed: A) New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Hong Kong; B) South Africa, Italy, Georgia, Romania; C) Argentina, Fiji, Spain, Canada; D) Ireland, Scotland, Uruguay, Portugal; E) France, Japan, USA, Samoa; F) England, Wales, Tonga, Zimbabwe.
- The expanded tournament advances the top two in each pool plus the four best third‑placed teams into a first‑ever Round of 16.
- Headline pool fixtures include Australia vs New Zealand, England vs Wales and Ireland vs Scotland, with media analysis projecting a South Africa–New Zealand quarter-final if both win their groups.
- Hong Kong will make a Rugby World Cup debut and Chile return for a second appearance, as Australia and New Zealand meet in the pool stage for the first time.
- The event runs Oct. 1–Nov. 13, 2027 across seven Australian cities, with Australia to open in Perth and the final in Sydney, and the full match schedule due Feb. 3, 2026.