World Cup to Expand, Reg 9 Calendar Formalized
World Cup to Expand, Reg 9 Calendar Formalized
World Rugby has made some adjustments to the world schedule, but also today confirmed what had been hinted at by GRR for a while—the men's Rugby World Cup will be expanded to 24 teams for 2027 and beyond.
The expansion of the tournament (and an expected expansion of the women's tournament too which is to come) not only opens up the RWC to more teams, but also, actually, reduces the number of games played and the length of the tournament.
For the men's RWC, the current format of 20 teams with four pools of five means every team plays four games, but also has to have a bye in one of those rounds. So a pool's games really can only be accomplished over five rounds, which takes about a month. Six pools of four teams means everyone plays three games (not four) but every team in a pool plays on the same day every time. Those games can be accomplished in four rounds, over three to four weeks, shortening overall pool play by three days to a week.
In addition, the total number of pool games would drop from 40 to 36. Meanwhile, you could expand the knockout rounds to a Round of 16 if you wanted, taking the top two from every pool plus the best four 3rd-place teams. If you did that, many more of the later pool games would carry meaning.
So that's what World Rugby did.
The men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia will feature 24 teams after the World Rugby Council approved major changes to the competition format, window, and timing. The tournament in 2027 will be held later in the year, October 1 through November 13, 2027.
Moving the event to that time window matters for the USA hosting in 2031, where there's a lot of talk about when is the best time to host the event in the United States. Hosting in October and November could be OK weather-wise in some areas, but would conflict with NFL and College Football, as well as baseball playoffs. However, if World Rugby is flexible on dates and moves the 2031 tournament to something like July and August, many of those football stadiums would then be available.
The World Rugby Council also recognized that they need to have the draw for the Rugby World Cup done a lot later than it was done this time around—everyone recognized that the quarterfinals were lopsided because they were set up based on rankings from three years ago.
“If we are to become a truly global sport, we must create greater relevance, opportunity and competitiveness to attract new fans and grow value," said World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont. “This incredible Rugby World Cup 2023 tournament has demonstrated the passion and potential that lies beyond the top 10 or 12 nations, if we think big and think inclusive. It is not acceptable to accept the status quo. Not acceptable to do nothing. The decision to expand Rugby World Cup 2027 to 24 teams is logical and the right thing to do. Underpinned by a new global calendar that increases certainty and opportunity, we are focused on raising standards, closing the gaps and creating a spectacle that fans demand to see. With its love of sport and major events, Australia is the perfect place to do just that.”
Reg 9 Release Times
World Rugby has made adjustments to World Rugby Regulation 9. Starting in 2026 there will be a much more formalized schedule of when test matches can be played for both men and women. This is designed to avoid club-vs-country overlap for women's teams (which have a much tougher time filling in for the missing players). There will also be some new competitions in the July and November windows.
WR Announces New Comp for US, Canada, Japan, Pacific Teams
“It is fitting that we finish Rugby World Cup 2023, the sport’s greatest celebration of togetherness, with the sport’s greatest feat of togetherness," said Beaumont. "Agreement on the men’s and women’s global calendars and their content is the most significant development in the sport since the game went professional. An historic moment for our sport that sets us up collectively for success. We now look forward to an exciting new era for our sport commencing in 2026. An era that will bring certainty and opportunity for all. An era that will support the many, not the few, and an era that will supercharge the development of the sport beyond its traditional and often self-imposed boundaries. I would like to thank all my colleagues for their spirit of collaboration. Today, we have achieved something special."
These Reg 9 windows mean that international games are played during those times, and clubs/territorial teams must release players to their national teams to play during those times. However, if a national team plays outside those windows, a club or territorial team does not have to release a player. The USA always seems to get the short end of the stick when it comes to having international players released. For now, it appears that the United States will follow the Southern Hemisphere release window calendar with August-September being one window for the new Pacific Nations Cup (men) and WXV (women), and then November being for the men while the women take probably a spring or summer window for Pacific Four.
