🔗 Share this article

The English side and Wales have been drawn in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This draw mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.

Key Pool Pairings

Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.

Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.

Knockout Implications

Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener

Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.

Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.

Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.

This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very 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 Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.

A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.

RWC 2027 Draw

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