England and Welsh Pitted in the Same Group for the 2027 World Cup in Australia
England and Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other 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
