The race to secure the final ticket to Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia is reaching its climax, with Belgium, Namibia, Samoa, and Paraguay now confirmed as the four competing nations in the Final Qualification Tournament (FQT).
Following their decisive encounter on Saturday, 18 October, Paraguay made history, overcoming Brazil (70-43 on aggregate) to keep their Rugby World Cup dream alive and earn their place in the RWC 2027 Final Qualification Tournament.
They join Belgium, Namibia, and Samoa who qualified from regional competitions in what promises to be an intense final chapter of the qualification journey.
The tournament will take place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 8–18 November 2025, serving as the last opportunity for teams to qualify for the expanded 24-team Men’s Rugby World Cup. All matches will be hosted at The Sevens Stadium, a venue with a proud rugby heritage and a reputation for world-class international competition.
The match schedule has been confirmed, with three match days set for 8, 13, and 18 November. The tournament will follow a round-robin format, where each team faces the others once. The team finishing top of the standings on competition points after the three rounds will claim the 24th and final spot at Australia 2027.
Men’s RWC 2027 Final Qualification Tournament
(all times local Dubai time GMT+4)
- Match day 1 – 8 November
- 17:00 – Samoa v Paraguay
- 19:30 – Belgium v Namibia
- Match day 2 – 13 November
- 17:00 – Belgium v Paraguay
- 19:30 – Samoa v Namibia
- Match day 3 – 18 November
- 17:00 – Namibia v Paraguay
- 19:30 – Samoa v Belgium
The tournament will be available to watch everywhere in the world, either through local broadcast partners or via RugbyPass TV.
World Rugby has also confirmed the Emirates Match Official appointments for the six matches, ensuring the highest standards of officiating for what promises to be a thrilling and decisive competition.
Jordan Way (Australia), Craig Evans (Wales), Eoghan Cross (Ireland) and Damián Schneider (Argentina) will each take charge of one match across the opening two rounds, with Griffin Colby (South Africa) and Brett Cronan (Australia) an assistant referee and Television Match Official respectively across the tournament.
Way and Evans will referee the games on 18 November with the Welshman handed the encounter between top two seeds Samoa and Belgium, which could prove the decisive match in determining the final qualifier for RWC 2027.
World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson said: “The Final Qualification Tournament represents the ultimate test of resilience, belief, and ambition for these four nations. Each team has overcome enormous challenges to reach this stage, and only one will earn the right to compete at Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia. With Dubai set to host what promises to be an exciting and fiercely contested event, the Final Qualification Tournament embodies the global growth and inclusivity at the heart of our sport.”
As the qualification process nears its conclusion, attention will soon turn to Sydney, which will host the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 Draw on 3 December. The 24 qualified teams will be divided into four bands of six based on the Men’s World Rugby Rankings as of 1 December, 2025, before being drawn randomly into six pools of four.
Shivers
Still on the subject of cricket superstitions, the player with the most rituals performed during a match is arguably Neil McKenzie of South Africa. Before a game, for example, he would attach his cricket bat to the ceiling with tape. When it’s time for him to bat, he would check all the changing room lights to make sure they were shut off and that the toilet seats were down.
Darkside Orbit
Sri Lanka has a sole Test win against the Aussies till date.