The Argentine national rugby team, 'Los Pumas', has been placed in Group C for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. If the team wins the group, it will face one of the best third-place teams, determined by points. In the previous World Cup, Argentina was eliminated in the quarter-finals by England.
The path for Los Pumas to the final depends on their position in the group. Finishing first would likely pit them against the winner of Group D, Ireland—a very tough opponent that Argentina hasn't beaten since the 2015 World Cup and will be hungry for their first semi-final appearance.
Conversely, if Argentina finishes second, they would likely face France in the quarter-finals. However, if Argentina, as runners-up, were to defeat Wales (it's unlikely that England would be second in Group F; Wales is more likely), their quarter-final opponent would be France.
With the new addition of a round of 16, it is more logical for Argentina to finish first in the group to secure a place in the quarter-finals. If they finish second, they would face Wales again in the round of 16, as they did in 2023. Therefore, securing the top spot is preferable for an easier first playoff match.
The draw for the World Cup, to be held in Australia, will take place on October 1, 2027, with the host nation facing the All Blacks, Chile, or Hong Kong in Perth. Choosing between finishing first or second is a matter of preference, although historically, the French have been a more 'beatable' opponent for Argentina.
The logical hypothetical quarter-final matchups would be: on one side of the bracket, the All Blacks vs. South Africa and Fiji/Wales vs. France. On the other side, Australia vs. England and Los Pumas vs. Ireland. This sets up the potential for a repeat of the 2023 final between South Africa and New Zealand.
The only team that, on paper, can realistically challenge Argentina is Fiji. The Fijijians are unpredictable and talented but inconsistent. In the 2023 World Cup, they stunned Australia and Wales but later lost to Portugal.
While the distribution of the 24 teams is now known, the match schedule will only be released on February 3. Therefore, the question of whether Ireland or France will be Argentina's opponent remains open. Potential opponents in their group could be Chile, Georgia, Uruguay, or Samoa.
