The English side together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While 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 Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third 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
