Sydney confirmed as the next city the Boks aim to add to an illustrious RWC list

Johannesburg, Paris and Yokohama are cities that are etched into South African rugby folklore. And Sydney could be added to that list. The three former cities are where the Boks have won their four Rugby World Cup (RWC) titles in 1995 (Johannesburg), 2007 (Paris), 2019 (Yokohama) and 2023 (Paris).

They now know the location of the next city they want to add to that cosmopolitan list. On Wednesday World Rugby and local organisers confirmed that Sydney’s Olympic Stadium will host the final of RWC 2027. It’s the second time Australia’s biggest city will host the final after 2003 when England beat the hosts Australia in extra time thanks to a dramatic late drop-goal by Jonny Wilkinson.



The 2003 tournament was largely forgettable for the Boks – easily their worst campaign of the eight they have played so far. They lost two games – against England in the pool phase and the All Blacks in the quarterfinal – and returned home to face the “Kamp Staaldraad” fallout. In the military style pre-World Cup bootcamp in the Limpopo bush, players were stripped naked, starved and humiliated in the name of “team building”.

Captain Siya Kolisi lifts The Webb Ellis Cup following the Boks’ World Cup final victory over New Zealand at Stade de France in Paris on 28 October 2023. (Photo: Dan Mullan / Getty Images) While the results at RWC 2003 were poor enough to get coach Rudolf Straeuli sacked, the sordid revelations that exploded after the dismal campaign about Staaldraad ensured his position became untenable. There won’t be any repeats of the Staaldraad fiasco under current coach Rassie Erasmus, who has fostered an environment of tolerance, understanding and respect at the Boks.

But beyond that, there are no guarantees – the Boks will have to earn their shot at glory in Sydney in 2027 on the field. The Springboks will go into the 2027 tournament in search of an unprecedented third successive world title and a fifth overall. The current world No 1s have made no secret that preparing themselves for the “three-peat” is their main priority over the next few years.

Even if it means losing the odd Test as a consequence of their long-term strategy. Winning three titles in a row is an opportunity that will only rarely, if ever, come around again. Siya Kolisi lifts the Webb Ellis Cup after the Boks beat England at International Stadium Yokohama, Japan, on 2 November 2019.

(Photo: David Rogers / Getty Images) Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus. (Photo: Gordon Arons / Gallo Images) In all, seven cities will host the 52 matches of RWC 2027, from Perth in the far west to Townsville in northern Queensland. Perth will host the anticipated opening match and treat fans to four additional pool matches and two round-of-16 matches.

Both Newcastle and Townsville will host four pool matches while Adelaide will be hosting five pool matches across the first phase of the tournament. Melbourne will hold a total of nine matches, including seven pool matches and two of the newly introduced round-of-16 matches. On the Australian east coast, Brisbane will stage six pool matches, two round-of-16 matches and two quarterfinals, making it one of the core Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 destinations.

RWC 2027 host cities. Finally, Sydney will host five pool matches and eight knockout matches, including the semifinals and prestigious Rugby World Cup final that will see the new champions crowned. The full inventory of host venues and the location of where the host nation Australia will play in the pool phase will be confirmed later in 2025.

“We are delighted to reach another significant milestone on our journey to Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027. The selection of these incredible host cities reflects our commitment to bring Rugby World Cup to as many Australians as possible, World Rugby chairperson Brett Robinson said. “Australia’s iconic cities and rich culture will create an extraordinary atmosphere for fans and players alike, uniting an entire nation for six unforgettable weeks.

We look forward to working with host cities to make this tournament one for the ages.” Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh added: “Rugby World Cup is among the planet’s biggest sporting events and Australia is incredibly excited to welcome the world to the 2027 edition. “Australia has a rich history of hosting major tournaments – indeed, we co-hosted the first ever Rugby World Cup almost 40 years ago – and I have no doubt this event will captivate and enthral the hundreds of thousands attending in-stadium and the hundreds of millions viewing around the world.

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