Eight stadiums across Australia have been confirmed as host venues for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

Sydney Olympic Stadium will be the centrepiece of the tournament. The 80,000-seat venue in Sydney’s west will host the final on November 13, both semi-finals, the third-place playoff, two quarter-finals and two pool matches, making it the most heavily used stadium of the competition.

The recently rebuilt Sydney Football Stadium will also play a key role, staging three pool games and two round of 16 fixtures.

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The tournament will kick off in Perth, where the 60,000-capacity Perth Stadium will host the opening match on October 1, along with six additional fixtures.

Melbourne’s Docklands Stadium – the only venue with a retractable roof – will stage eight matches, with organisers confirming the roof will remain closed for the duration of the tournament.

Several venues from the 2003 Rugby World Cup return to the schedule, including Adelaide Oval and Brisbane Stadium, which will together host 16 matches.

Two venues will make their Rugby World Cup debuts. North Queensland Stadium in Townsville will host matches in tropical conditions, while Newcastle Stadium, north of Sydney, also joins the list of host cities.

Tournament managing director Chris Stanley said the venue selection reflected both scale and atmosphere.

“From iconic national arenas to vibrant regional hubs, each venue has been chosen for its ability to deliver world-class facilities and electric atmospheres that will showcase the very best of our game,” he said.

“These stadiums are more than just places to play, they are stages for history, where passion and community come together to celebrate rugby’s global spirit.”

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The full match schedule will be released on February 3.

Hosts Australia have been drawn in the same pool as New Zealand, while defending champions South Africa will face Italy, Georgia and Romania in the pool phase.

The 2027 tournament will feature 24 teams, up from 20, with only four nations having lifted the Webb Ellis Cup to date.

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