Rugby World Cup 2027 Draw: Format, Teams, Schedule, And How The New System Works

Rugby World Cup 2027 Draw: Everything You Need to Know

The draw for the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup will take place in Sydney on Wednesday, officially setting the stage for the biggest edition of the tournament so far. With 24 teams competing in Australia, the event marks the start of a new era for world rugby. Fans can watch the draw live on Stan Sport, 9Gem, and 9Now in Australia, while global viewers can stream it through RugbyPass TV and the World Rugby YouTube channel from 8pm AEDT (9am Irish time).

This edition of the tournament introduces a completely new format that includes more teams, more knockout matches, and a more exciting schedule, while still keeping player welfare as a top priority. The opening match will be played at Perth Stadium on October 1, 2027, with hosts Australia starting the tournament.

Below is a clear, simple guide that explains the new structure, pool format, qualified teams, and how the round of 16 will work.

A New Era With 24 Teams

For the first time, the Rugby World Cup will feature 24 teams instead of the traditional 20. This expansion allows more nations to compete on the biggest stage and increases global participation in the sport.

Previously, tournaments included four pools of five teams each. In 2027, the structure will shift to six pools of four teams, reducing the number of pool-stage games per team and helping manage workload.

How the New Format Works

Six Pools With Four Teams Each

The 24 teams will be divided into six pools:

Pool A
Pool B
Pool C
Pool D
Pool E
Pool F

Each pool will have four teams. This creates a simpler and more balanced structure, where all teams play the same number of matches in the pool stage.

Who Advances to the Knockouts?

A major change arrives in the form of the round of 16, which replaces the previous direct jump to quarter-finals.

Teams that will qualify for the knockout stage:

Top two teams from each of the six pools (12 teams)
Four best third-place teams across all pools

This will make 16 teams in total for the first knockout round.

How Are the Best Third-Place Teams Decided?

If teams are tied, they will be separated by:

Competition points
Points difference (points scored minus points conceded)
Try difference

This ensures a fair and structured selection process.

More Games for Fans, Same Workload for Players

The change in tournament format adds more excitement for viewers:

52 total matches, compared to 48 in 2023
No extra matches for teams reaching the final

A team reaching the final will play seven matches, just like South Africa did when they won in 2023. This balance helps protect player health while delivering more high-quality rugby to supporters.

A Shorter and More Exciting Tournament

Although more teams are involved, the 2027 World Cup will actually be shorter:

2023 event: 50 days
2027 event: 43 days

This creates a tighter, faster schedule and avoids long gaps between games. An even number of teams per pool also means no team will have a rest round, which caused uneven scheduling in previous editions.

World Rugby has committed to a minimum of five rest days between matches to ensure player recovery and safety.

How the Round of 16 Will Work

With six pools feeding into 16 knockout spots, the round of 16 is designed to balance fairness and competitive drama.

Who Plays Who?

Winners of Pools A, B, C, and D will face one of the third-place qualifiers.
Winners of Pools E and F will play second-place teams.

While this may appear uneven at first glance, the structure balances itself in the quarter-finals.

Why It Is Still Fair

Using an example:

Winner of Pool A plays a third-place team first, but may meet a top-ranked pool winner next.
Winner of Pool E plays a pool runner-up first, but avoids meeting a top-ranked team until later.

This system ensures that no team receives an unfair advantage; it all evens out by the quarter-finals.