Where is the Rugby World Cup?

Sarah Rendell

20 teams will battle for the trophy

The 2023 Rugby World Cup will start in September and 20 teams will battle it out to try and win the Webb Ellis Cup. South Africa are the defending champions but they have been drawn in ‘the pool of death’ from which at least one of the favourites will be eliminated before the knock-out games.

The Springboks will face Ireland and Scotland in Pool B and if they go out at the pool stage there will be a new name on the Webb Ellis Trophy after the final. Among the favourites are three-time winners New Zealand and hosts France who both find themselves in Pool A.

England and Australia will also be among the nations likely to make the quarter-finals in search of World Cup glory. But where will the competition be hosted? Here’s all you need to know.

2023 Rugby World Cup hosts

France will host this year’s World Cup and it has come at a time where the team are in great form. They narrowly missed out on the Six Nations title in 2023 with Ireland ending their 14-match winning run. They will be hoping they can continue their monstrous form into their home World Cup to win the title for the first time ever.

World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin is excited about France hosting. He said: “We have got a French public that is immensely proud of a really, really spectacular current French national team. We know we are going to have an incredibly competitive tournament.

“We open the tournament with an absolute blockbuster in terms of France-New Zealand and there is huge excitement around that team in general and what it might achieve.”

Where will the next editions be held?

The next two World Cup hosts have already been announced. Australia will be the destination for the 2027 edition and the USA will host the 2031 competition.

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