Argentina's Rivals for the 2027 Rugby World Cup Are Set

Argentina's national rugby team, the Pumas, will be in Group C, facing Fiji, Spain, and Canada. On paper, Fiji is the strongest team in this group. The most significant news from the draw is that New Zealand will face the biggest obstacle, Australia, as the host nation. As a seeded team, Argentina successfully avoided Group A, where the host country was already placed. The match schedule will be officially confirmed on February 3, 2026. If Argentina finishes first in its group, it will play the third-place team from Group A, E, or F in the Round of 16. Besides the tough New Zealand vs. Australia matchup, the draw has sparked other speculations. The Pumas have faced Fiji in World Cup history only once, on May 24, 1987, in Waikato, New Zealand, losing 28-9. Spain, for its part, will be playing in its second World Cup, following the 1999 edition. In total, 52 matches will be played. The top two teams from each group and the four best third-place teams will advance to the Round of 16. Argentina's best performance was in 1991, when they finished second in their group behind France after beating Fiji and Romania. Undoubtedly, on paper, France is the powerhouse with the least dangerous group (Japan, USA, and Samoa), but they cannot be complacent. The Wallabies, who had a poor season, did not finish as a seeded team. Spain could have qualified earlier, but was disqualified for the last two World Cups due to the improper inclusion of players. They were eliminated in the quarter-finals by the All Blacks. For the first time in history, there will be a Round of 16, as the number of participating teams has increased from 20 to 24. Australia 2027 will be their much-awaited return. Canada has participated in every World Cup except for 2023. There will be two very interesting matchups in the first stage: England vs. Wales and Ireland vs. Scotland. South Africa, currently the best team in the world, has three European teams in its pool. The host cities will be Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth, Sydney, and Townsville.