World Cup 2023 draw: Follow it LIVE!
READERS’ FORUM: Follow live and debate the draw for the 2023 World Cup in France!
This is the moment teams and fans learn who they will play in the pool stage of World Cup 2023 in France.
The Springboks are top seeds alongside runners up England, three-time winners New Zealand and Wales with Les Bleus joined by Australia, Ireland and last year’s hosts Japan in band two.
Confirmed Draw bands
Band 1 – South Africa, New Zealand, England, Wales
Band 2 – Ireland, France, Australia, Japan
Band 3 – Scotland, Argentina, Fiji and Italy
Band 4 – Oceania 1, Americas 1, Europe 1, Asia / Pacific 1
Band 5 – Africa 1, Europe 2, Americas 2, Final Qualifier Winner
How do the draw and seedings work?
Rugby World Cup 2023 will be contested by 20 teams, 12 of which qualified automatically by finishing in the top three places of their Rugby World Cup 2019 pool in Japan. These 12 teams are: South Africa, New Zealand, England, Wales, Ireland, France, Australia, Japan, Scotland, Argentina, Fiji and Italy.
Acknowledging the global COVID-19 impact on international rugby in 2020, these teams are seeded based on the World Rugby Men’s Rankings as of 1 January, 2020 and placed into the first three bands of four teams.
The remaining eight teams will come through the regional qualification process and are allocated into bands four and five based on relative strength. They are: Americas 1, Americas 2, Europe 1, Europe 2, Africa 1, Oceania 1, Asia / Pacific 1 and the Final Qualifier Winner.
