England together with Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
