Australia will host the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027, and the tournament will begin in Perth, Western Australia, on Friday, 1 October 2027. The opening match will be a pool game featuring the host nation, Australia. Against one of their Pool A opponents, New Zealand, Chile, or Hong Kong. While all three options are possible on paper.
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Each presents very different implications for the tournament, the hosts, broadcasters, and the global growth of the game. At first glance, the most obvious choice seems to be Australia versus New Zealand. It is a classic rivalry. A Tier 1 clash between two nations that have competed at every Men’s Rugby World Cup.
Both the Wallabies and the All Blacks are former world champions. And their rivalry is one of the sport’s most recognizable, renewed regularly through the annual Bledisloe Cup series. New Zealand is currently ranked second in the world, while Australia sits seventh as of December 2025.
A World Cup opener between these two would undoubtedly attract global attention. However, the obvious choice is not always the best one. Opening the tournament against New Zealand carries a very real risk that Australia could lose on the first night. For a host nation, starting a home World Cup with a defeat is far from ideal.
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Evidence from major sporting events suggests that home fans are more likely to attend matches in greater numbers when their team is winning. And neutral interest often increases after a positive opening result. A loss on opening night could dampen domestic enthusiasm at a critical early stage of the tournament.
There are also logistical and broadcast considerations. Perth is five hours behind Auckland, and recent experience shows workable kick-off times are possible. They are not perfect for all markets. The 2025 Bledisloe Cup match in Perth kicked off at 5:45 pm local time, which translates to 10:45 pm in New Zealand.
While that was manageable, it underlines the compromises required when scheduling trans-Tasman fixtures in Western Australia. By contrast, Australia would enter an opening match against Chile or Hong Kong as clear favorites.
From Rugby Australia’s perspective, this would significantly increase the likelihood of a winning start. Setting a positive tone for the tournament and helping to build momentum among local fans. A comfortable opening win could also encourage neutral supporters to attend subsequent matches, strengthening overall attendance figures.
From a global development standpoint, Chile offers particularly compelling possibilities. Rugby has grown rapidly in Chile in recent years, and Los Cóndores have gained valuable experience by playing against Argentina, England, Italy, and Scotland over the past three years.
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Featuring Chile in the opening match would provide the team and the country with unprecedented exposure on the sport’s biggest stage. It would also send a powerful message about World Rugby’s commitment to expanding the game beyond its traditional power bases.
There is also symbolic value in such a matchup. Imagine teams from opposite sides of the Pacific meeting in Perth, an Indian Ocean city, with a bilingual referee communicating in English and Spanish. Officials such as Argentina’s Damián Schneider or Uruguay’s Francisco González have proven experience refereeing at the highest level in both languages.
Making this scenario entirely realistic and uniquely global. Attendance is another key factor. Australian experience with major sporting events suggests that Perth Stadium is likely to sell out for the opening match regardless of the opponent. If that is the case, then Australia versus New Zealand is not a necessity for filling seats, but simply one option among several.
This raises the question of whether the biggest rivalry should be saved for later in the pool stage or even beyond, rather than used immediately. Hong Kong presents a different set of considerations. As World Cup debutants with limited exposure to Tier 1 opposition, they may be better positioned in a different fixture slot.
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