After having touched the Webb Ellis Cup with their fingertips on 3 occasions, the French team is counting on victory in the 2023 edition, which is also organised on French soil. For the French, it is now time to prepare!
The Rugby World Cup has been held every four years since 1987 and is considered the Holy Grail of international rugby. In 2023, France will host the 10th in history: in front of more than 80,000 spectators and before the eyes of the whole world, they will be 600 players from the 5 major continents and divided into 20 teams, dreaming of the William Webb Ellis trophy awarded to the winning country.
Twelve teams have qualified directly for France 2023 based on their performance at the previous Rugby World Cup in Japan three years ago. South Africa, England, Wales, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, Japan, France, Scotland, Italy, Argentina and Fiji were the first to secure their ticket to France. And recently Samoa, Uruguay, Georgia and Spain have also confirmed their presence at the competition.
The 2023 Rugby World Cup will have 10 host cities [Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Nice, Paris, Saint-Denis, Saint-Etienne and Toulouse] and only one stadium in the Paris Region but not the least: the Stade de France.
In 2007, the Stade de France already hosted the World Cup, and true rugby fans still remember the unmissable opening ceremony. With a hundred or so dancers and musicians, the show launched the international competition with brio, which is also shaping up to be very emotional in 2023.
52 days of sporting passion and 10 matches at the Stade de France to thrill us all!
Discover the calendar of matches to be held at the Stade de France in the Paris Region
Find out where to watch the Rugby World Cup 2023 matches in the sports and entertainment bars.
Café Oz Châtelet, 18 rue Saint-Denis 75001 Paris. Team spirit and good humour guaranteed in this Australian pub in the heart of Paris!
The Long Hop, 25 rue Frédéric Sauton 75005 Paris. Come and support your team over a good beer in this Parisian sports bar which will be broadcasting all the matches of the Rugby World Cup.
O’Sullivans By The Mill, 92 boulevard de Clichy 75018 Paris. The Irish pub with a Pigalle atmosphere!
Le Truskel, 12 rue Feydeau 75002 Paris. All-you-can-eat rugby on the big screen in the Grand Boulevards district.
Le Highlander, 8 rue Nevers 75006 Paris. The Scottish pub in Paris, tucked away in a small alley in the 6th arrondissement, where you can watch the sporting events live.
Corcoran’s Grand boulevard, 23 boulevard Poissonnière 75002 Paris. With a dozen televisions and 4 giant video projectors, it’s the ideal bar to give it a try!
To start preparing your visit, discover the must-see sites around the Stade de France
The 2023 Rugby World Cup is being staged in France [Getty Images]
Rugby World Cup Fixtures
The 2023 Rugby World Cup runs from Friday 8 September to Saturday 28 October, with matches played across France.
South Africa will defend their title after beating England 32-12 in the 2019 final in Japan. Eddie Jones will want to claim the trophy before he bows out as England’s boss, but hosts France and three-time winners New Zealand will fancy their chances too.
Romania have replaced Spain in Pool B after the latter’s appeal against their disqualification was dismissed in June 2022. Spain fielded an ineligible player during qualification.
Namibia secured their place at a seventh successive World Cup by beating Kenya 36-0 in the final of the Rugby Africa Cup in Aix-en-Provence. They take their place in Pool A.
Chile will compete at their first-ever Rugby World Cup after beating the USA over two legs to qualify as Americas Two and take the final spot in Pool D, while Tonga completed Pool B by beating Hong Kong 44-22 in the Asia Pacific One play-off.
There is just one place left at RWC 2023. It will be decided at the Final Qualification Tournament involving Hong Kong, Kenya, Portugal and the USA due to take place in late 2022.
POOL A – New Zealand, France, Italy, Uruguay, Namibia
Fri 8 Sept France v New Zealand [Stade de France, Saint-Denis]
Sat 9 Sept Italy v Namibia [Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Étienne]
Thu 14 Sept France v Uruguay [Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille]
Fri 15 Sept New Zealand v Namibia [Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse]
Wed 20 Sept Italy v Uruguay [Stade de Nice, Nice]
Thu 21 Sept France v Namibia [Stade Vélodrome, Marseille]
Wed 27 Sept Uruguay v Namibia [Parc OL, Lyon]
Fri 29 Sept New Zealand v Italy [Parc OL, Lyon]
Thu 5 Oct New Zealand v Uruguay [Parc OL, Lyon]
Fri 6 Oct France v Italy [Parc OL, Lyon]
POOL B – South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, Romania, Tonga
Sat 9 Sept Ireland v Romania [Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux]
Sun 10 Sept South Africa v Scotland [Stade Vélodrome, Marseille]
Sat 16 Sept Ireland v Tonga [Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes]
Sun 17 Sept South Africa v Romania [Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux]
Sat 23 Sept South Africa v Ireland [Stade de France, Saint-Denis]
Sun 24 Sept Scotland v Tonga [Stade de Nice, Nice]
Sat 30 Sept Scotland v Romania [Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille]
Sun 1 Oct South Africa v Tonga [Stade Vélodrome, Marseille]
Sat 7 Oct Ireland v Scotland [Stade de France, Saint-Denis]
Sun 8 Oct Tonga v Romania [Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille]
POOL C – Wales, Australia, Fiji, Georgia, Final qualification winner
Sat 9 Sept Australia v Georgia [Stade de France, Saint-Denis]
Sun 10 Sept Wales v Fiji [Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux]
Sat 16 Sept Wales v Final qualification winner [Stade de Nice, Nice]
Sun 17 Sept Australia v Fiji [Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Étienne]
Sat 23 Sept Georgia v Final qualification winner [Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse]
Sun 24 Sept Wales v Australia [Parc OL, Lyon]
Sat 30 Sept Fiji v Georgia [Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux]
Sun 1 Oct Australia v Final qualification winner [Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Étienne]
Sat 7 Oct Wales v Georgia [Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes]
Sun 8 Oct Fiji v Final qualification winner [Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse]
POOL D – England, Japan, Argentina, Samoa, Chile
Sat 9 Sept England v Argentina [Stade Vélodrome, Marseille]
Sun 10 Sept Japan v Chile [Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse]
Sat 16 Sept Samoa v Chile [Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux]
Sun 17 Sept England v Japan [Stade de Nice, Nice]
Fri 22 Sept Argentina v Samoa [Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Étienne]
Sat 23 Sept England v Chile [Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille]
Thu 28 Sept Japan v Samoa [Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse]
Sat 30 Sept Argentina v Chile [Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes]
Sat 7 Oct England v Samoa [Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille]
Sun 8 Oct Japan v Argentina [Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes]
Quarter-finals
Sat 14 Oct Winner Pool C v Runner-up Pool D [Stade Vélodrome, Marseille]
Sat 14 Oct Winner Pool B v Runner-up Pool A [Stade de France, Saint-Denis]
Sun 15 Oct Winner Pool D v Runner-up Pool C [Stade Vélodrome, Marseille]
Sun 15 Oct Winner Pool A v Runner-up Pool B [Stade de France, Saint-Denis]
Semi-finals
Fri 20 Oct Winner Quarter-final 1 v Winner Quarter-final 2 [Stade de France, Saint-Denis]
Sat 21 Oct Winner Quarter-final 3 v Winner Quarter-final 4 [Stade de France, Saint-Denis]
Third-place match
Fri 27 Oct Third-place Play-off [Stade de France, Saint-Denis]
Final
Sat 28 Oct Final [Stade de France, Saint-Denis]
Rugby World Cup 2019 Results
POOL A
Ireland, Scotland, Japan, Russia, Samoa
Fri 20 Sep Japan 30-10 Russia [Tokyo] Match report
Sun 22 Sep Ireland 27-3 Scotland [Yokohama] Match Report
Tue 24 Sep Russia 9-34 Samoa [Kumagaya] Match Report
Sat 28 Sep Japan 19-12 Ireland [Shizuoka] Match Report
Mon 30 Sep Scotland 34-0 Samoa [Kobe], Match Report
Thu 3 Oct Ireland 35-0 Russia [Kobe], Match Report
Sat 5 Oct Japan 38-19 Samoa [Toyota] Match Report
Wed 9 Oct Scotland 61-0 Russia [Shizuoka] Match Report
Sat 12 Oct Ireland 47-5 Samoa [Fukuoka] Match Report
Sun 13 Oct Japan 28-21 Scotland [Yokohama] Match Report
POOL B
New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Namibia, Canada
Sat 21 Sep New Zealand 23-13 South Africa [Yokohama] Match report
Sun 22 Sep Italy 47-22 Namibia [Osaka] Match Report
Thu 26 Sept Italy 48-7 Canada [Fukuoka] Match report
Sat 28 Sep South Africa 57-3 Namibia [Toyota] Match report
Wed 2 Oct New Zealand 63-0 Canada [Oita] Match Report
Fri 4 Oct South Africa 49-3 Italy [Shizuoka] Match Report
Sun 6 Oct New Zealand 71-9 Namibia [Tokyo] Match report
Tue 8 Oct South Africa 66-7 Canada [Kobe], Match Report
Sat 12 Oct New Zealand 0-0 Italy [Toyota], Match cancelled – click here for story
Sun 13 Oct Namibia 0-0 Canada [Kamaishi], Match cancelled – click here for story
POOL C
England, France, Argentina, USA, Tonga
Sat 21 Sep France 23-21 Argentina [Tokyo] Match report
Sun 22 Sep England 35-3 Tonga [Sapporo] Match report
Thu 26 Sep England 45-7 USA [Kobe] Match Report
Sat 28 Sep Argentina 28-12 Tonga [Osaka], Match Report
Wed 2 Oct France 33-9 USA [Fukuoka], Match Report
Sat 5 Oct England 39-10 Argentina [Tokyo] Match Report
Sun 6 Oct France 23-21 Tonga [Kumamoto] Match report
Wed 9 Oct Argentina 47-17 USA [Kumagaya] Match Report
Sat 12 Oct England 0-0 France [Yokohama], Match cancelled – click here for story
Sun 13 Oct USA 19-31 Tonga [Osaka] Match report
POOL D
Australia, Wales, Georgia, Fiji, Uruguay
Sat 21 Sep Australia 39-21 Fiji [Sapporo] Match report
Mon 23 Sep Wales 43-14 Georgia [Toyota] Match report
Wed 25 Sep Fiji 27-30 Uruguay [Kamaishi] Match report
Sun 29 Sep Georgia 33-7 Uruguay [Kumagaya] Match Report
Sun 29 Sep Australia 25-29 Wales [Tokyo] Match report
Thu 3 Oct Georgia 10-45 Fiji [Osaka], Match Report
Sat 5 Oct Australia 45-10 Uruguay [Oita] Match report
Wed 9 Oct Wales 29-17 Fiji [Oita] Match Report
Fri 11 Oct Australia 27-8 Georgia [Shizuoka] Match Report
Sun 13 Oct Wales 35-13 Uruguay [Kumamoto] Match Report
KNOCKOUT STAGES
Sat 19 Oct QF1 England 40-16 Australia [Oita] Match Report
Sat 19 Oct QF2 New Zealand 46-14 Ireland [Tokyo] Match Report
Sun 20 Oct QF3 Wales 20-19 France [Oita] Match Report
Sun 20 Oct QF4 Japan 3-26 South Africa [Tokyo] Match Report
Sat 26 Oct England 19-7 New Zealand [Yokohama] Match Report
Sun 27 Oct Wales 16-19 South Africa [Yokohama] Match Report
Fri 1 Nov Third-place Play-off New Zealand 40-17 Wales [Tokyo] Match Report
Sat 2 Nov RWC 2019 Final England 12-32 South Africa [Yokohama] Match Report
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