Rugby World Cup 2023: Match schedule, how to watch, latest news and odds
All the information you need ahead of the Rugby World Cup 2023 as South Africa look to defend the title they won in 2019
The Rugby World Cup 2023 in France begins in September of this year as nations from across the globe compete for the sports ultimate prize.
South Africa were the winners of the last tournament - in Japan in 2019 - when they beat England in the final and will be among the favourites again later this year.
However, a strong European challenge is expected, not least from the hosts France - who are looking for back-to-back Grand Slams in this year's Six Nations - and Ireland, who have never put their best foot forward at a World Cup.
Where is it?
The Rugby World Cup 2023 will be played in France across nine stadiums in nine cities. The final will be played at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis (Paris) on Saturday, October 28.
- Stade de France (capacity - 80,698) - Saint-Denis (Paris)
- Stade Velodrome (67,394) - Marseille
- Parc Olympique Lyonnais (59,186) - Lyon
- Stade Pierre-Mauroy (50,186) - Lille
- Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux (42,115) - Bordeaux
- Stade Geoffroy-Guichard (41,965) - Saint-Étienne
- Allianz Riviera (35,624) - Nice
- Stade de la Beaujoire (35,322) - Nantes
- Stadium Municipal (33,150) - Toulouse
When is it?
The tournament begins on Friday, September 8 with France taking on New Zealand in the tournament's first match. The final will be played on Saturday, October 28.
How do I watch it?
ITV have won the exclusive broadcast rights to show the Rugby World Cup in the UK. We will update you with specific channels for each match at the tournament once they are revealed by the broadcaster.
Who is playing?
A total of 20 teams have qualified for the Rugby World Cup. These have been split into four pools of five, with each pool getting one team from five 'bands'.
Band one featured the four highest-ranked teams from when the draw for the tournament was made (South Africa, New Zealand, England, Wales). Band two comprised the next four highest-ranked teams (Ireland, Australia, France, Japan) and band three the four after that (Scotland, Argentina, Fiji, Italy).
Each side in the first three bands qualified automatically for the tournament owing to their world ranking, while the further two bands comprised the sides who had made it into the tournament via qualifying (Samoa, Georgia, Uruguay, Tonga, Namibia, Romania, Chile, Portugal).
Who is in what pool?
Pool A
New Zealand
France
Italy
Uruguay
Namibia
Pool B
South Africa
Ireland
Scotland
Tonga
Romania
Pool C
Wales
Australia
Fiji
Georgia
Portugal
Pool D
England
Japan
Argentina
Samoa
Chile
What is the latest 2023 Rugby World Cup news?
Recent news relating to the Rugby World Cup has been far from positive, with the one-time head of the organising committee, Clause Atcher, alleging a vast smear campaign had led to his removal from the position.
His dismissal came amid investigations into allegations that he presided over a "climate of terror", with the offices of the organising committee raided after French prosecutors "opened a preliminary investigation into charges of favouritism, influence peddling, corruption and any other related offence."
Soon after Atcher's dismissal, World Rugby’s vice-chairman and president of the French Rugby Federation (FFR), Bernard Laporte, was found guilty of bribery and corruption, thrusting yet another cloud over the tournament.
Rugby World Cup 2023 full fixtures and schedule
POOL MATCHES
- Friday, Sept 8 - France v New Zealand, Stade de France, 8pm GMT
- Saturday, Sept 9 - Italy v Namibia, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, 12.00pm
- Saturday, Sept 9 - Ireland v Romania, Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, 2.30pm
- Saturday, Sept 9 - Australia v Georgia, Stade de France, 5pm
- Saturday, Sept 9 - England v Argentina, Stade Vélodrome, 8pm
- Sunday, Sept 10 - Japan v Chile, Stadium Municipal, 12pm
- Sunday, Sept 10 - South Africa v Scotland, Stade Vélodrome, 4.45pm
- Sunday, Sept 10 - Wales v Fiji, Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, 8pm
- Thursday, Sept 14 - France v Uruguay, Stade Pierre-Mauroy, 8pm
- Friday, Sept 15 - New Zealand v Namibia, Stadium Municipal, 8pm
- Saturday, Sept 16 - Samoa v Chile, Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, 2pm
- Saturday, Sept 16 - Wales v Portugal, Allianz Riviera, 4.45pm
- Saturday, Sept 16 - Ireland v Tonga, Stade de la Beaujoire, 8pm
- Sunday, Sept 17 - South Africa v Romania, Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, 2pm
- Sunday, Sept 17 - Australia v Fiji, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, 4.45pm
- Sunday, Sept 17 - England v Japan, Allianz Riviera, 8pm
- Wednesday, Sept 20 - Italy v Uruguay, Allianz Riviera, 4.45pm
- Thursday, Sept 21 - France v Namibia, Stade Vélodrome, 8pm
- Friday, Sept 22 - Argentina v Samoa, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, 4.45pm
- Saturday, Sept 23 - Georgia v Portugal, Stadium Municipal, 1pm
- Saturday, Sept 23 - England v Chile, Stade Pierre-Mauroy, 4.45pm
- Saturday, Sept 23 - South Africa v Ireland, Stade de France, 8pm
- Sunday, Sept 24 - Scotland v Tonga, Allianz Riviera, 4.45pm
- Sunday, Sept 24 - Wales v Australia, Parc Olympique Lyonnais, 8pm
- Wednesday, Sept 27 - Uruguay v Namibia, Parc Olympique Lyonnais, 4.45pm
- Thursday, Sept 28 - Japan v Samoa, Stadium Municipal, 8pm
- Friday, Sept 29 - New Zealand v Italy, Parc Olympique Lyonnais, 8pm
- Saturday, Sept 30 - Argentina v Chile, Stade de la Beaujoire, 2pm
- Saturday, Sept 30 - Fiji v Georgia, Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, 4.45pm
- Saturday, Sept 30 - Scotland v Romania, Stade Pierre-Mauroy, 8pm
- Sunday, Oct 1 - Australia v Portugal, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, 4.45pm
- Sunday, Oct 1 - South Africa v Tonga, Stade Vélodrome, 8pm
- Thursday, Oct 5 - New Zealand v Uruguay, Parc Olympique Lyonnais, 8pm
- Friday, Oct 6 - France v Italy, Parc Olympique Lyonnais, 8pm
- Saturday, Oct 7 - Wales v Georgia, Stade de la Beaujoire, 2pm
- Saturday, Oct 7 - England v Samoa, Stade Pierre-Mauroy, 4.45pm
- Saturday, Oct 7 - Ireland v Scotland, Stade de France, 8pm
- Sunday, Oct 8 - Japan v Argentina, Stade de la Beaujoire, 12pm
- Sunday, Oct 8 - Tonga v Romania, Stade Pierre-Mauroy, 4.45pm
- Sunday, Oct 8 - Fiji v Portugal, Stadium Municipal, 8pm
Quarter-finals
- Saturday, Oct 14 - Winner Pool C v Runner-up Pool D, Stade Vélodrome, 4pm
- Saturday, Oct 14 - Winner Pool B v Runner-up Pool A, Stade de France, 8pm
- Sunday, Oct 15 - Winner Pool D v Runner-up Pool C, Stade Vélodrome, 4pm
- Sunday, Oct 15 - Winner Pool 4 v Runner-up Pool B, Stade de France, 8pm
Semi-finals
- Friday, Oct 20 - Winner QF 1 v Winner QF 2, Stade de France, 8pm
- Saturday, Oct 21 - Winner QF 3 v Winner QF 4, Stade de France, 8pm
Bronze final
- Friday, Oct 27 - Runner-up SF 1 v Runner-up SF 2, Stade de France, 8pm
Final
- Saturday, Oct 28 - Winner SF 1 v Winner SF 2, Stade de France, 8pm
Latest odds
France - 5/2
New Zealand - 11/4
South Africa - 5/1
Ireland - 5/1
England - 11/2
Wales - 25/1
Argentina - 25/1
Scotland - 25/1
50/1 - BAR