ITV has secured the exclusive UK television rights to the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, strengthening its grip on international rugby coverage for the rest of the decade.
The deal means ITV will broadcast every match from the tournament live, ensuring England’s biggest matches remain on free-to-air television.
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ITV strengthens grip on international rugby
ITV has become the dominant broadcaster of international rugby in the UK in recent years.
The channel already holds the rights to every match in the new Nations Championship, including the 2028 edition, while it also shares coverage of the Six Nations with the BBC, showing every England fixture and two-thirds of the championship’s matches.
With the addition of the 2027 Rugby World Cup, ITV is now guaranteed to show every England international until at least 2029.
BBC pushed for World Cup rights
According to The Guardian, the BBC explored a bid for the tournament after the success of its coverage of last year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup.
The broadcaster attracted a total television audience of 12 million across the competition, while BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport generated a further 10.5 million streams. The Red Roses’ final against Canada peaked at 5.8 million viewers.
Despite that interest, ITV was determined to secure exclusive rights rather than agreeing a shared broadcast arrangement.
The agreement, reached around 15 months before the tournament begins in Australia, is understood to be World Rugby’s biggest UK television rights deal. Organisers have also completed broadcast agreements with CBS, Paramount+, Channel Nine and TF1 in other key markets.
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2027 Rugby World Cup draw: England play Wales
he draw for the 11th edition of the tournament took place on Wednesday 3 December at 09:00 GMT and was broadcastlive on RugbyPass TV, as well as on World Rugby’s YouTube channel and Stan Sport, 9Gem and 9Now in Australia.
As the host nation, Australia was placed in Pool A, while the rest of the line-up was revealed as the teams were drawn.
Men’s Rugby World Cup is heading to Australia and organisers announced that it would be bigger than ever in welcoming the world: 24 nations and territories, seven cities, six weeks, one cup. Fans had been invited to register their interest for pre-sale details.
World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson was joined on stage by former Rugby World Cup winner and All Blacks legend Dan Carter, Australia’s most-capped male player, James Slipper, and Australian Olympics gold medallist, Alicia Lucas, as they conducted the draw.
Each of the six pools featured a team from Bands 1, 2, 3 and 4.
The confirmed Bands based on rankings were:
Band 1: South Africa, New Zealand, England, Ireland, France, Argentina
Band 2: Australia, Fiji, Scotland, Italy, Wales, Japan
Band 3: Georgia, Uruguay, Spain, USA, Chile, Tonga
Band 4: Samoa, Portugal, Romania, Hong Kong China, Zimbabwe, Canada
2027 Rugby World Cup draw:
Pool A
New Zealand – Perennial contenders with flair, power and unmatched rugby IQ.
Australia – Unpredictable but dangerous, capable of brilliance on their day.
Chile – Fast-improving newcomers bringing passion and fearless physicality.
Hong Kong China – Skillful, energetic, and eager to prove themselves on the global stage.
Pool B
South Africa – Brutal, relentless, and brutally efficient—never count them out.
Italy – Developing rapidly, mixing strong set-piece work with expanding ambition.
Georgia – Scrum specialists with raw forward strength and growing all-round polish.
Romania – Proud and powerful, known for toughness and unwavering fight.
Pool C
Argentina – Dynamic, crafty, and fiercely competitive with a never-say-die spirit.
Fiji – Magical offloads, searing pace, and unique unpredictability.
Spain – Determined climbers building consistency and confidence every year.
Canada – Physical and committed, working to regain their traditional sharpness.
