New dates for Rugby World Cup 2021

Rugby World Cup 2021 will now take place from 8 October to 12 November 2022 in New Zealand.

The tournament, which had been due to take place in September and October 2021, was postponed in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic and will now take place late next year.

World Rugby has also announced that the tournament window has been extended from 35 days to 43 days, which ensures a minimum five-day rest period between matches.

The revamped tournament will also see all matches take place on Saturdays and Sundays to avoid fixtures overlapping, so fans will be able to watch all the action live.

Related: Rugby World Cup 2021 pools

The pool matches will take place on the weekends of 8-9, 15-16 and 22-23 October, with the quarter-finals on 29-30 October and the semi-finals on 5 November. The third-place play-off and the final will both be played on Saturday 12 November at Eden Park, which is set to become the first stadium to host both the men’s and women’s World Cup finals.

Match dates and kick-offs are still to be confirmed, but the tournament venues remain the same. As well as Eden Park, there will be games played at Northlands Events Centre in Whangārei and Waitakere Stadium in Auckland.

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “We are fully committed to accelerating the women’s game at all levels and while the postponement was disappointing for everyone, it has provided the unique opportunity to review every aspect of the event to ensure it is the best it can be for the players, fans around the world and the wonderful and enthusiastic New Zealanders.

“Longer rest periods between matches for all teams is further commitment to delivering comprehensive player welfare standards at RWC 2021.”

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