The ground-breaking ninth Rugby World Cup kicks off on 20th September 2019 in Tokyo as Japan become the tournament’s first Asian hosts.
Twelve stadia from the Sapporo Dome in the north to the Egao Kenkō Stadium in the south of the country will hold 48 games between 20 nations for the right to claim the Webb Ellis Cup, won in 2015 by New Zealand.
The All-Blacks, with three tournament wins, are the most successful nation in Rugby World Cup history with South Africa and Australia sharing two triumphs while England has one.
Over the course of the next eighteen months, we’ll bring you the latest information on qualifying, team news, travel tips and tickets, building into a comprehensive guide to the Rugby World Cup Japan 2019.
The Draw:
On 10th May 2017, the draw for the Pool Stage was made in Kyoto with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe picking the ball which allocated Japan’s group. The draw is as follows:
Pool A:
Ireland
Scotland
Japan
Romania
Play-off Winner
Pool B:
New Zealand
South Africa
Italy
Africa 1
Repechage Winner
Pool C:
England
France
Argentina
United States
Tonga
Pool D:
Australia
Wales
Georgia
Fiji
Uruguay
Five teams have yet to be decided with the qualifying tournaments taking place throughout 2018 across Europe, Africa, and America. We will keep you up-to-date with those results as they happen.
The top two in each group qualify for the knockout stages which begin on 19th October 2019, culminating in the final at International Stadium Yokohama on 2nd November 2019.
The draw for the quarter-finals is as follows:
Winner Pool C vs. Runner-up Pool D
Winner Pool B vs. Runner-up Pool A
Winner Pool D vs. Runner-up Pool C
Winner Pool A vs. Runner-up Pool B
The winners of the paired ties meet in the semi-finals.
Our comprehensive tournament previews will look at each nation’s prospects of reaching the quarter-finals and beyond.
Stadia
QF = Quarter-finals (number of matches in brackets)
SF = Semi-finals (number of matches in brackets)
BF = Bronze final
F = Final
Tickets and Travel
Tickets for the pool matches and knockout phases will be issued in three phases.
Phase 1: Stadium Tours, Supporters Packs, and Team
These became available from 1st January 2018. As with other major events, Rugby World Cup 2019 has appointed an official travel partner, STH, who will be responsible for appointing travel agents around the globe to sell officially endorsed fan tours and packages.
Each participating nation has their own primary agent which can be found as follows:
Argentina:
Australia:
British Teams:
France:
Hong Kong:
Ireland:
Japan:
Malaysia:
New Zealand:
Singapore:
South Africa:
Spain:
UAE:
USA:
To apply for tickets, there are two priority sales windows for Rugby World Cup 2019 tickets:
- 19 – 26 January 2018: Japanese rugby family, as determined the organising committee, can apply for team and stadium packs
- 27 January – 12 February 2018: Worldwide general ballot for team and stadium packs.
Phase 2: Sales for priority groups and hospitality
The official Rugby World Cup 2019 hospitality packages are launched on 1st February and with individual match tickets, will be on sale from the middle of the month through to June 2018 for Japanese supporters only.
Phase 3: General Ticket Sales
The rest of the world joins the jamboree during September 2018. We’ll bring you more details closer to the time with our regular Japan 2019 Rugby World Cup ticketing updates, as well as taking a closer look at each stadium to ensure you know which views of the action of available.
Where to Stay and How to Get Around
As we build up to next year’s finals, we will take a look at the range of accommodation available to supporters in each of the host cities. Our hints and tips on travel and eating out will be indispensable and cover every budget.
Japan’s public transport system prides itself on affordability and efficiency. The volume of users continues to be among the highest in the world with a wide of range of travel options available.
Railways are the obvious mode of transport with comprehensive coverage of the nation through the local and national rail network, bullet trains and sleepers.
We will also give you details about using buses, planes, ferries and taxis internally, what to look out for and how to avoid being ripped off.
For more information on the Rugby World Cup please take a look at The Japaniverse Guide to the World Cup infographic by clicking here. Our detailed infographic includes team and stadium information, plus facts, helpful tips and telephone numbers which may come in useful during your time in Japan.