For the first time, the men’s edition of the Rugby World Cup being hosted in Australia will feature 24 teams in an expanded format, and for the first time, Asia will have at least two nations represented – We review the latest updates on the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 Qualification process.
From Asia, Japan has already qualified for the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027, while the winner of the Asia Rugby Men’s Championship in 2025 will earn direct qualification and the runner-up still will enter the Asia/Africa Play-off.
As part of the regional qualifiers, the “Journey to Australia 2027” kicks off in January 2025 with all qualifiers taking place during the year to determine the 12 spots up for grabs.
Even though Sri Lanka won Asia Rugby Division 1 2024, and Asia Rugby said they would earn a promotion to the top tier, it is defending champions Hong Kong China, UAE, South Korea, and Malaysia who are listed to compete from June to July 2025.
Malaysia has never won a match in the ARMC and has been last in every tournament they have competed in. There has been no word from Asia Rugby as to why Sri Lanka is not involved.
What To Know – Asia Qualifier For Rugby World Cup 2027
- ➡️World Rugby Regional Associations have one minimum direct qualifying spot from tournaments played in 2025.
- ➡️For Asia – this means the winner of the Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship 2025 (AREMC) will qualify for RWC 2027. Based on results from 2024, this should have been contested between Hong Kong China Rugby, South Korea UAE and Sri Lanka but Malaysia is listed instead of Sri Lanka.
- ➡️The runner-up of ARMC 2025 will compete in the Africa / Asia Play-off winner (Rugby Africa Championship 2025 runner-up v Asia Rugby Championship runner-up).
- ➡️ The winner of that match enters a four-team Final Qualification Tournament to be played in November 2025 for the last team to qualify for RWC 2027.
Asian Teams Preparation – Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship 2025
In 2024, the Hong Kong China men’s XV embarked on a South America tour and hosted Brazil twice in November, while the UAE hosted Zimbabwe and Germany, and the Koreans also hosted the African champions. This was the first time so many Asian national men’s sides were involved in the end-of-year international tests.
We have heard that the UAE and Korea are likely to play more games against African opposition in the lead-up to the 2025 AREMC.
It was announced that KRU had signed an MoU with the Zimbabwe Rugby Union, and the squad was in Japan at the Saitama Wild Knights facilities for a training camp in December 2024 where the scrum had sessions with both former Japanese international Shota Horie, and All Black Same Whitelock.
While more tests in the buildup to the Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship 2025 are to be announced, it is likely all of the competing unions will want to have matches to be prepared. HKCR would also potentially have another camp at the ACT Brumbies facilities with whom they have a working relationship.
It should also be noted that the JRLO has indicated it will allow for applications from foreign clubs to Division 3 in the future, which might see the winning nation from the AREMC 2024 look to enter and compete if financially and logistically viable.
RWC 2027 Format
The format for RWC 2027 according to World Rugby:
- Six pools of four teams
- New reduced six-week (seven-weekend) Rugby World Cup window
- The pool phase is reduced from five to four weeks – respects the same minimum number of rest days between matches as at France 2023
- Round of 16 to be introduced with the top two teams from each pool automatically qualifying along with the best four third-placed teams
Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 Qualification By Region
Europe – 4 Teams – January-March, 2025
The four teams that reach the semi-finals of the Rugby Europe Men’s Championship 2025 will qualify directly for Australia 2027 and the winner of the fifth-place play-off will secure their ticket to the Final Qualification Tournament.
- Nations involved: Belgium, Georgia, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Switzerland
Asia– 1 Team – June-July, 2025
The Asia Rugby Men’s Championship 2025 winners will qualify directly for Men’s RWC 2027 with the runner-up progressing to the Asia/Africa Play-off.
- Nations involved: Hong Kong China, Korea, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates
Africa – 1 Team – July 2025
The Rugby Africa Men’s Cup 2025 champions will qualify directly for the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 and the runner-up will progress to the Asia/Africa Play-off.
- Nations involved: Algeria, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Namibia, Senegal, Uganda, Zimbabwe and winner of the Rugby Africa Men’s Cup 2025 Repechage
South America – 1 Team – July-September, 2025
The Sudamérica Rugby Championship 2025 winners will secure their place at Australia 2027, with the runner-up qualifying for the South America/Pacific Play-off, and the third-placed team joining the line-up for the Final Qualification Tournament.
- Nations involved: Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay
Pacific – 3 Teams – August-September, 2025
The best three teams of the Pacific Nations Cup 2025 (other than already-qualified Fiji and Japan) will qualify for RWC 2027, and the sixth-placed team will join the South America/Pacific Play-off.
- Nations involved: Fiji, Japan (both already qualified), Canada, Samoa, Tonga, USA
South America / Pacific – 1 Team – September 2025
A home-and-away play-off between the Sudamérica Rugby Championship runner-up and the team finishing sixth in the Pacific Nations Cup – the winner qualifies for Australia 2027 while the loser will join the Final Qualification Tournament.
Final Qualification Tournament– 1 Team – November 2025
The final qualification tournament will comprise one pool of four teams, playing in a round-robin format. The winner – on competition points will qualify for Australia 2027.
The four teams will be comprised of:
- Sudamérica Rugby Championship 2025 third place
- South America/Pacific Play-off loser
- Rugby Europe Men’s Championship 2025 fifth place
- Africa/Asia Play-off winner (Rugby Africa Men’s Cup 2025 runner-up v Asia Rugby Men’s Championship runner-up)
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