England and Wales will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
