Sydney will take centre stage at Rugby World Cup 2027 while an embarrassing situation where Melbourne could have been completely overlooked for even a single match was only avoided by late night talks 48 hours out from the deadline.
World Rugby on Thursday announced the seven cities that will place host to an expanded 24-team men’s RWC in 2027, with Sydney and Melbourne to be joined by Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Townsville and Newcastle.
That is three fewer destinations that the 2003 tournament in Australia, when Wollongong, Launceston, Hobart and Gosford all staged matches, while Newcastle is the lucky addition this time around.
Perth will stage the opening game of the tournament on Oct. 1 2027, when the Wallabies will play the first of 52 games against an opposition that will be determined at the end of 2025.
But it is Sydney who emerged the big winners, with the Harbour City to stage two quarterfinals, both semifinals, the bronze medal match, the final, as well as five pool matches and two round of 16 games.
Perth and Melbourne had previously been in the running to host the final, but a significant investment from the NSW government ensured the decider will return to the same ground where England’s Jonny Wilkinson broke Australian hearts with his extra-time drop-goal winner in 2003.
“When you wind it back, one of the things that’s great about hosting a major event in Australia is that you’ve got such competition between cities and venues to host, and you’ve got such great quality venue infrastructure here, which makes putting a tournament here so good,” World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin told reporters in Sydney.
“And there was genuine competition for the biggest matches, and fair play to Sydney and New South Wales for the way they conducted themselves. It’s taken us along time to nail all the pieces together but we’re really thrilled with the way it’s all come together.”
A senior World Rugby source told ESPN that discussion with the Victorian Government went deep into the night on Tuesday, with the state’s officials having reportedly previously walked away from the negotiating table when it became clear they would not be getting the final.
Reports suggested that the cash-strapped Victorian Government did not want to then cough up the requisite funds for a slate of pool games, before coming to terms with World Rugby on a package that includes seven pool matches and two round of 16 games, one of which could feature Australia.
World Rugby had previously been keen to explore a final at the famed MCG, where the Wallabies will play the British & Irish Lions in July this year, which would have delivered a new record crowd for the tournament’s finale, but Sydney’s status as a rugby stronghold, the existing history from 2003, and the significant financial investment from the NSW Government ensured the decider will instead return to Stadium Australia.
“I don’t think it affected their ability to do it, they’ve worked through what is going to work for them in terms of content; again New South Wales and Sydney in particular have really stepped into that space,” Gilpin told reporters when asked if Victoria’s indecision had prevented them from staging any match after the round of 16.
“I was lucky enough to be a part of the Rugby World Cup in 2003 and this part of the country [Sydney] was a brilliant centrepiece for Rugby World Cup, and it will be again in 2027.”
World Rugby chairman and former Wallabies back-rower Brett Robinson said that Western Australia premier Roger Cooke had also made a serious play for the final, and also declared that Melbourne’s nine-game package was a good result for the city.
“It wouldn’t be the World Cup without going to the ‘G, so it’s wonderful that we’ve got there and they’re participating in a significant way in the tournament.”
Robinson said that World Rugby was still working through the split of games for Sydney [Stadium Australia, Allianz Stadium] and Melbourne [MCG, AAMI Park].
The addition of four more teams will see the tournament increase from 48 to 52 games, while a round of 16 will be staged for the first time, putting extra importance on the 2025 Test calendar as teams fight to secure as high a ranking as possible ahead of the World Cup draw at the end of the year.
