2027 Rugby World Cup Qualifiers: Brazil vs Paraguay - South American series kicks off on Saturday

The opening clash takes place on Saturday, October 11, at the Héroes de Curupayty stadium in Asunción, the heart of Paraguayan rugby. Paraguay captain Mariano Garcete, speaking ahead of the series, acknowledged the challenge his team faces.

“We know the Brazilians propose a very strong, frontal game,” he said to . “We have to go in with confidence. It's not one or two 80-minute games… it's 80 one-minute games here in Asunción. We're going to take it phase by phase.”

Despite Paraguay’s spirited approach, the history between the two sides heavily favours Brazil. Over the past decade, Brazil have dominated official matches, winning four consecutive encounters since the Covid pandemic, including a 77-12 thrashing in São Paulo in 2024. Paraguay’s last victory over Brazil at the national level came in 2015, when they won 20-11 in Bento Gonçalves.

Still, Garcete is optimistic about the future of Paraguayan rugby. “I dream of Paraguay in the World Cup—today as a player, in 2031 as a coach, or in 2035 as a manager. It's not that I'll play in a World Cup, but that my country will qualify. Without hope, there's little point in competing.”

The Paraguayan squad benefits from a five-year High Performance program, with technical guidance from Ricardo Le Fort and support from Sudamérica Rugby, including a recent visit from former Los Pumas coach Huevo Hourcade. Garcete believes the team is ready but realistic: “We’ve been training for quite some time… now it’s time to fine-tune the details. We're not going to change much of what we've done this year.”

Several Paraguayan players are emerging as key figures in this campaign. Garcete highlighted Ramiro ‘Colo’ Amarilla for his growing leadership, fly-half Seba Urbieta for his experience, and winger Juan González as players to watch as the Yacarés aim to make their mark.

The winner of this two-leg series—first in Asunción, then in Jacareí, Sao Paolo, Brazil—will face a demanding path ahead, playing five matches over the next two months in the Final Qualifying Tournament. They will join Belgium, Namibia and Samoa in the battle for the last spot at Australia 2027.

Brazil enters the series as favourites, with the record in official matches heavily in their favour: in the last ten years, Brazil has claimed eight wins against Paraguay. Highlights include a 66-10 triumph in Asunción in 2019 and a 57-6 victory in São Paulo in 2017. Historically, the rivalry goes back to 1970, with Brazil winning the inaugural friendly encounter, and the two sides have clashed thirty times overall, with Brazil winning nineteen and Paraguay claiming eleven.

Despite the odds, Garcete remains determined. “Our first objective is to win at home; the conditions are right for the game to stay here. In Brazil, it will be a different story. We hope to have the fans’ support, it will be important. The fans felt strongly about the second half we played against Uruguay. We took a big step forward that day, and the goal now is to maintain the level we had throughout the match.”

When kick-off comes at 4 p.m. on Saturday Paraguay time (8pm UK), past results will count for nothing. Paraguay will look to defy history, while Brazil will aim to continue their recent dominance and secure the final Sudamérica Rugby spot on the road to Australia 2027.