2023 Rugby World Cup qualifying

The qualification process for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France began during the pool stages of the 2019 tournament in Japan, during which the top three teams from each of the four pools were awarded automatic qualification for the 2023 event. A further eight teams will qualify through regional, cross-regional play-offs and the repechage process.[1]

2023 Rugby World Cup qualifying
Tournament details
DatesTBC 2021 – November 2022
No. of nationsTBC
← 2019
2027 →

Qualified teams
Africa Americas Europe Asia Oceania
Qualified at the 2019 Rugby World Cup
Qualified via regional tournament
  • Africa 1
  • Americas 1
  • Americas 2
  • Europe 1
  • Europe 2
  • Oceania 1
Qualified via cross-regional play-off Asia/Pacific 1
Qualified via play-off
or repechage		 Final Qualification winner

Qualification process

Following confirmation of the twelve automatically qualified teams from the 2019 Rugby World Cup, World Rugby announced the qualification format for the eight remaining places on 8 June 2020. Of the eight berths remaining, six are to be decided in regional tournaments, one by a cross-regional playoff and the last one via repechage.

Final details of the regional competition formats and dates will be announced in due course.

Africa

Rugby Africa have been granted one place at the world cup, which will be awarded to the winners of the 2022 Africa Cup (Africa 1). The runner-up (Africa 2) will advance to a Final Qualification Tournament as Africa 2.

Americas

The exact process for the Americas is still to be confirmed, however, the region will have 2 berths in the qualification process (Americas 1 and Americas 2), whilst the third placed team advances to a Final Qualification Tournament as Americas 3. The 3 teams will be decided by September 2022.

Asia

Asia Rugby, with its top-ranked team automatically qualified already, did not get another direct qualifying place. However, the 2021 Asia Rugby Championship winner (Asia 1) will have the chance to qualify via a cross-regional play-off against Oceania 2.

Europe

Rugby Europe, having six teams automatically qualified, gained a further two more world cup berths, which will be awarded to the winners and runners-up of a combined 2021–2022 Rugby Europe Championship (Europe 1 and Europe 2). The third placed team advances to a Final Qualification Tournament as Europe 3.

Oceania

Oceania Rugby was granted one direct qualification berth, and will be awarded to the winner on aggregate of a Samoa–Tonga home and away play-off (Oceania 1). The loser, will play the winner of the 2021 Oceania Rugby Cup to advance as Oceania 2 to a cross-regional play-off against Asia 1.

Play-off and Final Qualification Tournament

Following the regional tournaments, the next qualification stage will be an Asia/Pacific home and away play-off between Asia 1 and Oceania 2, with the winner on aggregate qualifying for the 2023 Rugby World Cup (Asia/Pacific 1 1). The loser will advance to a Final Qualification Tournament as Asia/Pacific 2.

The final stage of the qualification process will conclude in November 2022 with a four teamed round-robin format Final Qualification Tournament. This will be competed between:

  • Africa 2
  • Americas 3
  • Europe 3
  • Asia/Pacific 2

The winner of the Final Qualification Tournament, will complete the 8 additional qualifiers to make up the 20-team World Cup.

References
  1. rugbybworldcup.com. "QUALIFICATION PROCESS SET FOR RUGBY WORLD CUP 2023".
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