Summary

  • England and Wales drawn in Pool F alongside Zimbabwe and Tonga

  • Ireland and Scotland drawn in Pool D with Uruguay and Portugal

  • Hosts Australia to face three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A, with Hong Kong China and Chile making up the rest of the group

  • The tournament takes place in Australia on 1 October - 13 November 2027 and will feature 24 teams

  • Teams are seeded from one to 24 based on their current world rankings and then placed into six bands of four teams

  • Australia are guaranteed to be in Pool A as hosts but will face a top seeded team as they are not in the top six of the world rankings

  • The draw takes place so early for a number of reasons, including to help fans make travel arrangements, give the organisers time to stage a successful tournament and reflect current form and rankings

  • Click 'Get Involved' below to have your say

Who will win the 2027 Rugby World Cup?

Live Reporting

Written by Ben Ramsdale, Craig Nelson & Sean Byrne.

  1. 'Group B looks the most interesting'

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    Group B looks most interesting to see which European countries really should be in the Six Nations....Italy, Georgia, Romania...

    Mike, Amersham

  2. 'Incredible draw'

    Dan Carter
    Two-time Rugby World Cup winner with All Blacks

    What an incredible draw. Everyone is already starting early predictions, it's very exciting! The beauty of having six pools is that you can really build into the World Cup, especially for those top teams.

  3. Plotting a course through the 2027 World Cup

    So what does it all mean and how can the 24 competing nations now plot their course through the tournament?

    Before we consider what this means for the home nations, here's a reminder of how qualification for the knockout stages works:

    The top team in Pools A, B, C and D will face teams that finished third in their group.

    The winners of Pools E and F will play the runners-up from Pools D and B.

    The runners-up from Pools A and C will then take on the runners-up from Pools E and F.

    The winner of Pool A will play a third-place team in the round of 16, but could face the winner of Pool B, if that team advances.

    The winner of Pool E, meanwhile, will play a second-place team in both knockout rounds.

    Make sense?

    This graphic will make it easier to visualise...

    Draw format

  4. 'Bit early for predictions'

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    It's 22 months away. Got two Six Nations plus 6 months before then. Bit early for predictions...? But nice draw for England.

    Paul

  5. Get Involved - 'That is what happens when you're a top seed'

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    People already moaning England have it easy again - that's what happens when you're one of the top seeds!

    James

  6. 'This is a phenomenal draw for England'

    Chris Jones
    BBC rugby union correspondent

    Shades of 2023 with New Zealand, South Africa and France all on one side of the draw and England on the other. Make no mistake, this is a phenomenal draw for England. If they are to get to the final, they will avoid the Springboks right up until then, and should they top pool F then they will avoid meeting another pool winner until the semi-finals.

    Meanwhile if South Africa and New Zealand both top their groups then they are on a quarter-final collision course; and - like in 2023 - one of the world's top teams would be gone before the semi-finals.

    However if Australia are able to take out the All Blacks in what will most likely now be the tournament opener, then it would get very, very interesting.

  7. Get Involved - 'A major shock if any of the top 10 do not make it'

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    With 16 going through, the draw means very little. It would be a major shock if any of the top 10 didn't make it

    Ben, London

  8. 'Doesn't get much better than that'

    rugby union match between Australia and New ZealandGetty Images

    Wallabies captain Harry Wilson on the draw: "It's really exciting. As an Australian, you always love the game against New Zealand. In the opening match of the World Cup, it doesn't get much better than that. It's a really exciting Pool A."

  9. Get Involved - 'A lovely draw for England as per'

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    Ireland Scotland again and lovely draw for England as per every world cup.

    Stephen, Ireland

    England on the easier side of the draw again.

    Gordo, Horsell

  10. USA with tough opposition

    Mike Henson
    BBC Sport

    A tough draw for the United States, who are paired with the highest-ranked Band 4 opposition Samoa in Pool E.

    The USA could do with a good run to ignite interest ahead of hosting the tournament in 2031.

  11. So New Zealand draw Australia...it had to be, didn't it?

  12. World Cup draw in full

    • Pool A: Australia (hosts), Hong Kong China, Chile, New Zealand
    • Pool B: Romania, Georgia, Italy, South Africa
    • Pool C: Canada, Spain, Fiji, Argentina
    • Pool D: Portugal, Uruguay, Scotland, Ireland
    • Pool E: Samoa, USA, Japan, France
    • Pool F: Zimbabwe, Tonga, Wales, England

  13. That leaves New Zealand to complete the draw in Pool A.

  14. Argentina go into Pool C, and reigning world champions South Africa in Pool B.

  15. Ireland in Pool D with Scotland
    Breaking

    France are in Pool E, Ireland in Pool D...

  16. England in Pool F with Wales
    Breaking

    On to Band 1 - England are in Pool F, along with Wales, Tonga and Zimbabawe.

  17. Italy are in Pool B.

  18. Scotland maintain their appearance in every World Cup in Pool D, with Fiji in Pool C.

  19. Wales in Pool F and Japan in Pool E.

  20. Canada are in Pool C, Georgia are in Pool B, while Chile are in Pool A.