Muhammad Awwal AbubakarSudamérica Rugby has officially confirmed the schedule for the final phase of the South American qualifying path to the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia.
After a fiercely contested opening round in 2024, four teams—Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay—remain in the hunt for a coveted place on rugby’s biggest stage alongside continental giants Argentina.
The qualification format consists of two-legged semi-finals followed by a home-and-away championship final.
Brazil and Chile kick off the semi-final stage on 19 July in São Paulo, with the reverse fixture set for 26 July in Santiago.
In the second semi-final, Paraguay will host Uruguay on 26 July, with the decisive second leg scheduled four weeks later on 23 August in Montevideo.
“The hunger to make it to Australia is real,” said Sudamérica Rugby President Sebastián Piñeyrúa. “These teams have shown incredible resilience and growth. We expect some truly thrilling matchups.”
The winners of each semi-final will face off in a two-legged final, to be held between 30 August and 6 September.
The champion will punch their ticket to RWC 2027, joining Argentina as South America’s official representatives. But the stakes don’t end there.
The runner-up from the championship final will still have a path to qualification by facing the lowest-ranked non-qualified team from the Pacific Nations Cup, which includes Canada, USA, Samoa, and Tonga.
The winner of that encounter will claim a direct place at the World Cup, while the loser will enter the Final Qualification Tournament, a last-chance global play-off for the final spot in Australia.
In an exciting twist, the two teams that fall in the South American semi-finals will also compete for a place in that Final Qualification Tournament. They will square off in a home-and-away playoff on 11 and 18 October.
“We’re not just fighting for one dream, we’re fighting for multiple chances to get there,” said Paraguayan captain Rodrigo Martínez.
“This is uncharted territory for us, and we’re not taking it lightly.”Belgium recently secured the first spot in the Final Qualification Tournament by defeating the Netherlands to finish fifth in the Rugby Europe Men’s Championship 2025.
Two more spots remain, setting the stage for a truly dramatic global showdown later in the year.With every match carrying enormous consequences, fans across South America and beyond can expect intense action, fierce rivalries, and the raw passion that defines rugby in this part of the world.
Keep your calendars marked—this journey to Australia is only just beginning.
Muhammad Awwal Abubakar
