Paraguay have written history by booking a place in repechage. Los Yacarés eliminated Brazil by winning both test matches to rise in the World Rankings and confirm their place in repechage next month. Paraguay will be one of four teams competing for the last remaining Rugby World Cup 2027 spot.
PARAGUAY RUGBY RESULTS: 2025
2025-10-18 – Brazil 24-31 Paraguay (Jacareí, BR)
2025-10-11 – Paraguay 39-19 Brazil (Asunción, PY)
2025-08-23 – Uruguay 78-10 Paraguay (Montevideo, UY)
2025-07-26 – Paraguay 0-38 Uruguay (Asunción, PY)
2025-07-19 – Salta 43-31 Paraguay (Salta, AR)
Los Yacarés’ 31-24 win over Brazil on Saturday confirmed the Paraguayans for the global repechage tournament. The winner of the four-team repechage tournament will qualify as the 24th, and final, competitor for Australia 2027. The 2027 tournament will be contain 24 teams, four more than the total at Rugby World Cups 1999-2023 and eight more than from Rugby World Cups 1987-1995.
Dubai will play host to the tournament from November 08-18. Paraguay officially qualified by virtue of the 39-19 and 31-24 wins over Brazil. They mean Paraguay qualified, on aggregate, as Sudamérica 3. In doing so, Paraguay’s dream of appearing in a first ever Men’s Rugby World Cup remains alive.
Among Paraguay’s opponents will be Rugby World Cup 1991-2023 mainstay, Samoa. The Pacific Island country was not invited to the inaugural Rugby World Cup; yet, has competed in every other Men’s Rugby World Cup. Samoa lot to Chile to be sent to repechage. Chile’s successfully qualification saw them joining hermanos Argentina and Uruguay at Australia 2027. Spain has also qualified, meaning four Spanish-Speaking countries are confirmed for Australia 2027.
Namibia qualified for repechage after defeating the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The result of the Africa 2 vs Asia 2 play-off saw the Welwitschias advancing in Rugby World Cup 2027 qualifying. Namibia was the second team to be confirmed following Belgium.
Namibia played in all twenty-team Rugby World Cups (1999-2023). The Welwitschias debuted in 1999, becoming the fourth African country to compete at a Rugby World Cup. Zimbabwe compete at Rugby World Cups 1987 and 1991, Cotê d’Ivoire at Rugby World Cup 1995 and South Africa at all tournaments from 1995 onwards.
Zimbabwe’s win over Namibia ended a 34 year wait. The Sables booked a spot in a third Rugby World Cup with a 30-28 nail-bitting win over Namibia. That result sent Namibia to the play-off against the UAE.
Belgium, who have never qualified for a Rugby World Cup will join Paraguay, Samoa and Namibia in repechage. Belgium saw off the Netherlands to book their spot in the Final Qualification Tournament.
The match order is yet to be confirmed; however, an official announcement is forthcoming from World Rugby. The repechage tournament will begin on November 08.
