2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia expanding to 24 teams with six-week schedule

PARIS (AP) — The next Rugby World Cup in 2027 in Australia will feature more teams, an extra knockout round and a week less to play.

The late-2027 tournament will have 24 teams, the first expansion since 1999 when it went to 20 teams from the original 16.

Where the four new teams will qualify from will be determined after a review of the ongoing World Cup in France, World Rugby said on Tuesday.

The 2027 dates were set for Oct. 1 to Nov. 13, the first time the tournament will start in October since 2003, when it was last staged in Australia.

A reduced four-week pool stage will feed into a new round of 16 as the whole tournament will be played over six weeks rather than the current seven.

Whether the tournament will continue with four pools with an extra sixth team or more pools, World Rugby didn't say.

Expansion was expected after the United States failed to qualify for the ongoing World Cup in France.

The U.S. will stage the 2031 men's World Cup and is automatically qualified as the host, but World Rugby didn't want to risk the U.S. also not qualifying for 2027 and going 12 years between World Cups.

“The decision to expand Rugby World Cup 2027 to 24 teams is logical and the right thing to do,” World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont said. "We must create greater relevance, opportunity and competitiveness to attract new fans and grow value.

“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.”

Rugby Australia bid for 2027 on the basis of a 20-team tournament but welcomed expansion as “a fantastic outcome,” organizing committee head Rod Eddington said.