World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin said on Tuesday that holding the 2027 World Cup draw in January 2026 was a “compromise” but would be better than the current tournament arrangements.
This year’s France World Cup draw was conducted in December 2020, nearly three years before the tournament began, which unintentionally led to a one-sided tournament outcome.
When the competition began in September, the top five teams in the standings (Ireland, South Africa, France, New Zealand and Scotland) were placed in two groups.
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Top-ranked Ireland were knocked out in the quarter-finals by fourth-ranked New Zealand, while third-ranked France were knocked out by second-ranked All Blacks.
Scotland were knocked out in the group stage, alongside Ireland and South Africa.
The 2027 World Cup will be held in Australia from October 1 to November 13, later than usual, to avoid conflicts with the AFL and NRL seasons.
The grand finals of these leagues are expected to be held the weekend before the World Cup begins.
“I understand there is disappointment about the timing of the draw for this World Cup,” Gilpin told reporters.
He added that holding a lottery in 2026 would be “a compromise, but better than what we have now”.
Gilpin said further delaying the 2027 draw, which will expand from 20 to 24 countries, would be a risky decision.
“Ticket sales are at risk, tournament funding is at risk,” Gilpin said.
“Fans will be left feeling frustrated at the result, with less than a year to go until the Rugby World Cup, and with no clear plans in place.
“It’s going to be a real challenge, especially since we have to expand to 24 teams to plan for this,” he added.
This year’s World Cup ends on Saturday, with champions South Africa and New Zealand facing off at the Stade de France in Paris, with both teams looking to win their fourth title.
