England and Wales will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face 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
