Last updated 12 August 2026. Fixtures and broadcast details verified against World Rugby and ITV announcements.
Australia, October 2027. The biggest Rugby World Cup ever played: 24 teams, 7 host cities, a new round of 16, and a Wales pool with England waiting at the end of it.
When is the Rugby World Cup 2027?
1 October to 13 November 2027, across Australia. The expanded format means 52 matches and, for the first time, a round of 16 before the quarter-finals.
Wales’ fixtures: Pool F
Wales drew England, Tonga and Zimbabwe. Two very winnable games, then a probable pool decider against the old enemy in Sydney.
| Date | Fixture | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Sat 2 October 2027 | Wales v Zimbabwe | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide |
| Fri 8 October 2027 | Wales v Tonga | Docklands Stadium, Melbourne |
| Sat 16 October 2027 | Wales v England | Stadium Australia, Sydney |
Finish top 2 and Wales reach the round of 16, and with the new format, even third place can be enough as one of the best-ranked third-placed sides.
How to watch
ITV holds exclusive UK rights, so every one of the 52 matches is live and free on ITV and ITVX. Kick-off times will favour the early risers: Australian evening games land in the UK morning. We’ll add UK kick-off times when they’re confirmed.
Wales at the World Cup
Wales’ World Cup history is a story of nearly. Third place at the first tournament in 1987 remains the high-water mark, with the 2011 and 2019 sides both reaching the semi-finals and finishing fourth, each time losing by a score. In 2023 Wales topped their pool before falling to Argentina in the quarters.
And England at a World Cup stirs a particular memory: the 28-25 win at Twickenham in 2015, in England’s own tournament, that knocked the hosts out at the pool stage. Sydney 2027 has a lot to live up to.
Rugby World Cup winners
| Year | Champions | Hosts |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | South Africa | France |
| 2019 | South Africa | Japan |
| 2015 | New Zealand | England |
| 2011 | New Zealand | New Zealand |
| 2007 | South Africa | France |
| 2003 | England | Australia |
| 1999 | Australia | Wales |
| 1995 | South Africa | South Africa |
| 1991 | Australia | England (and others) |
| 1987 | New Zealand | New Zealand and Australia |
South Africa’s 12-11 win over New Zealand in the 2023 final made them the first side to win it 4 times. No northern hemisphere side has won it since England in 2003, in Australia, as it happens.
Rugby World Cup odds
DragonBet prices the tournament outright, pool winners, and every Wales match, with ante-post markets running well before a ball is kicked. Current prices live on our rugby union odds page, and for the road to the tournament, our Six Nations guide covers Wales’ 2027 warm-up act.
18+. Please gamble responsibly. For guidance and support visit GambleAware.
Sources: World Rugby fixture announcements; ITV rights confirmation. Correct as of 12 August 2026.
