🔗 Share this article

England and Wales will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.

Other Notable Pool Draws

The Irish and Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.

Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.

Knockout Ramifications

If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener

Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.

The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.

In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.

Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

Four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.

RWC 2027 Groups

Pool A

• New Zealand
• Australia
• Chile
• Hong Kong

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