The English side together with Wales have been drawn in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
