European rugby supporters face a lengthy wait to see another men’s Rugby World Cup staged on the continent, with the next four tournaments across the men’s and women’s game all heading elsewhere.
World Rugby confirmed the host nations through to 2033, with Australia and the United States taking centre stage over the coming years.
Australia will host the men’s Rugby World Cup in 2027 before staging the women’s tournament two years later in 2029.
The competition will then head to the United States, which will host its first men’s Rugby World Cup in 2031 before also staging the women’s tournament in 2033.
It means the next four tournaments are:
- 2027 – Men’s Rugby World Cup – Australia
- 2029 – Women’s Rugby World Cup – Australia
- 2031 – Men’s Rugby World Cup – United States
- 2033 – Women’s Rugby World Cup – United States
Europe faces 12-year wait
France staged the last men’s tournament in Europe in 2023, when the Springboks edged New Zealand 12-11 in a dramatic final in Paris.
South Africa’s victory secured a record fourth Webb Ellis Cup, putting them one clear of the All Blacks.
With Australia hosting in 2027 and the United States taking over in 2031, the men’s tournament cannot return to Europe until 2035 at the earliest.
That guarantees a minimum 12-year gap between men’s Rugby World Cups being staged in Europe.
It is also part of a major push to take rugby into new markets. The 2031 tournament will be the first men’s Rugby World Cup staged in the United States.
Biggest Rugby World Cup ever
Before then, attention will turn to Australia.
Rugby World Cup 2027 will be the biggest edition of the men’s tournament yet, with the competition expanding from 20 to 24 teams.
The new format features six pools of four, with a Round of 16 introduced for the first time.
There will be 52 matches in total, compared with 48 at France 2023, with the tournament running from October 1 to November 13, 2027.
For England, the draw has thrown up a particularly familiar opponent.
Rugby World Cup 2027 draw in full
The official draw has placed England alongside Six Nations rivals Wales, while Ireland and Scotland will also meet during the pool stage.
Hosts Australia have been handed a blockbuster meeting with New Zealand in Pool A, while defending champions South Africa face Italy, Georgia and Romania.
Pool A
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Chile
- Hong Kong China
Pool B
- South Africa
- Italy
- Georgia
- Romania
Pool C
- Argentina
- Fiji
- Spain
- Canada
Pool D
- Ireland
- Scotland
- Uruguay
- Portugal
Pool E
- France
- Japan
- USA
- Samoa
Pool F
- England
- Wales
- Tonga
- Zimbabwe
England and Wales will meet at a World Cup for only the second time in the pool stage.
Their previous meeting came at Twickenham in 2015, when Wales produced a famous 28-25 victory against the hosts.
Australia and New Zealand will also make history, with the trans-Tasman rivals meeting in the pool stage of a Rugby World Cup for the first time.
