Rugby World Rugby has announced the expansion of the World Cup and a new Nations Championship.
There will be 24 teams competing in the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, an increase from the 20 countries competing in the current tournament in France; a new 12-team Nations Championship will begin in 2026; a 12-team second division with promotion and relegation will be implemented from 2030.
Last Updated: 24/10/23 1:30pm
From 2027, 24 teams will compete in the Rugby World Cup.
World Rugby has announced a new Nations Championship and an increase in the number of teams competing at the Rugby World Cup.
The number of participating teams in the men’s World Cup, which concludes in France this weekend, will rise from 20 to 24 starting with the Australian World Cup in 2027.
Starting in 2026, a second tier of 12 teams and a new biannual international Nations Championship featuring the top 12 teams from the northern and southern hemispheres will be played.
Between the two divisions, there will be promotion and relegation starting in 2030.
“It is fitting that we finish Rugby World Cup 2023, the sport’s greatest celebration of togetherness, with the sport’s greatest feat of togetherness,” said World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont of the news, which also includes reforms for the women’s international competition.
“Agreement on the men’s and women’s global calendars and their content is the most significant development in the sport since the game went professional – a historic moment for our sport that sets us up collectively for success.”
The new Nations Championship top level will consist of the SANZAAR nations of South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Argentina as well as the Six Nations unions of England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, and Italy. It will be shown internationally in the months of July and November.
The remaining two places in the first division will be decided by a process to be run by SANZAAR, while the planned second division will be run by World Rugby. The tournament is designed to provide certainty of fixtures for unions outside of existing international competitions.
Sir Bill Beaumont, the chairman of World Rugby, heralded a new era for the international game.
At a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, additional information regarding the format of the expanded 24-team World Cup will be announced. World Rugby is eager to include more developing nations in the competition.
As part of a worldwide calendar for Test matches, the introduction of the first designated international release windows beginning in 2026 will mark the biggest development for the women’s game.
“We now look forward to an exciting new era for our sport commencing in 2026,” Beaumont told reporters.
“An era that will bring security and opportunity to everyone. An era that will support the many, not the few, and one that will accelerate the sport’s development outside of its conventional and frequently self-imposed limitations.
“I would want to express my gratitude to all of my coworkers for their collaborative spirit. We accomplished something significant today.
