Rugby World Cup 2027 will see a record number of Americas teams. Chile’s victory of Samoa in Viña del Mar takes the Americas number of participants to five for Australia 2027. Five teams is a new high for the Americas. The previous record was four participants at a Rugby World Cup.
Prior to Chile’s qualification, the Americas had matched the record. The USA qualified by comfortably beating Samoa in Denver, Colorado. It was notable because it confirmed a return for the Eagles who missed out on Rugby World Cup 2023 as did Canada. Both are back for Rugby World Cup 2027. Canada qualified for RWC 2027 based on results in the 2025 Pacific Nations Cup (PNC), essentially gaining the spot by virtue of defeating the USA in Edmonton, Alberta.
The two North American countries join three South American countries. In addition to Chile, Australia 2027 will include Uruguay and Argentina. Uruguay, qualified by winning the Sudamérica 1 spot on aggregate while Argentina qualified automatically based on results from Rugby World Cup 2023; specifically, by finishing in the top three of their pool at France 2023.
The France hosted Rugby World Cup 2023 featured three teams from the Americas. It was historic in that there were no North American participants but also because there were three South American participants for the first time. Chile qualified by defeating the USA and by earlier eliminating Canada.
Three Americas competitors at Rugby World Cup 2023 was a decrease from the record of four at Rugby World Cups 1999, 2003, 2015 and 2019. Samoa join Belgium and Namibia in repechage tournament. One further team will join them with it being the winner of the Sudamérica 3 series between Brazil and Paraguay. In other words, it is theoretically possible that a fourth South American, and sixth Americas, team could play at Rugby World Cup 2027.
| RUGBY WORLD CUP 2027 – AMERICAS PARTICIPATION |
ARGENTINA – Qualified (via RWC 2023 pool results)
CANADA – Qualified (via Pacific Nations Cup)
URUGUAY – Qualified (via Sudamérica Rugby Final)
USA – Qualified (via Pacific Nations Cup)
CHILE – Qualified (via Sudamérica 2 vs Pacific 4 play-off)
BRAZIL -Can Qualify (if defeat Paraguay for Sudamérica Rugby 3 and then win repechage)
PARAGUAY – Can Qualify (if defeat Brazil for Sudamérica Rugby 3 and then win repechage)
 ALL MEN’S RUGBY WORLD CUPS – AMERICAS PARTICIPATION |
| RWC | HOST COUNTRY / COUNTRIES | AMERICAS PARTICIPANTS | NO. OF AMERICAS PARTICIPANTS |
| 1987 | New Zealand, Australia | Argentina, Canada, USA | 3 |
| 1991 | England, France, Ireland, Scotland, Wales | Argentina, Canada, USA | 3 |
| 1995 | South Africa | Argentina, Canada | 2 |
| 1999 | Wales, England, France, Ireland, Scotland | Argentina, Canada, Uruguay, USA | 4 |
| 2003 | Australia | Argentina, Canada, Uruguay, USA | 4 |
| 2007 | France, Scotland, Wales | Argentina, Canada, USA | 3 |
| 2011 | New Zealand | Argentina, Canada, USA | 3 |
| 2015 | England, Wales | Argentina, Canada, Uruguay, USA | 4 |
| 2019 | Japan | Argentina, Canada, Uruguay, USA | 4 |
| 2023 | France | Argentina, Chile, Uruguay | 3 |
| 2027 | Australia | Argentina, Canada, Uruguay, USA | 5 * |
* The qualifying process is ongoing.
