What is the Rugby World Cup Final Qualifier in Dubai, who’s playing and when is it?
Assalamu alaykum - The last qualification tournament for the 2027 Rugby World Cup will be held in Dubai from Saturday, November 8 to Monday, November 18.
It’s a four-team, round-robin event and the team that tops the group will claim the final spot for the expanded tournament in Australia in two years’ time. This World Cup will feature 24 teams for the first time, four more than recent editions.
How teams got here: 12 sides earned automatic spots by finishing in the top three of their groups at the 2023 World Cup in France. Additional places were decided through regional qualifying across Europe, Africa, Asia, the Pacific and the Americas, leaving one final berth to be decided in Dubai.
The four teams in the repechage in Dubai are:
- Brazil - finished third in the South American Rugby Championship
- Samoa - lost a recent South America–Pacific play-off against Chile
- Belgium - finished fifth in the Rugby Europe Men’s Championship
- Namibia - won the Africa–Asia play-off against the UAE
Originally Paraguay were due to take part, but they withdrew and Brazil replaced them. Paraguay’s union publicly admitted an administrative mistake that led to an ineligible player being fielded in their tie with Brazil; their president described the decision to withdraw as one made on principle and integrity.
The UAE had hoped their national team might feature at home, after finishing second in the Asia Rugby Championship behind Hong Kong (who qualified for the World Cup for the first time). The UAE then had a one-off play-off against Namibia but were beaten.
Match schedule (local Dubai times):
Saturday, November 8
- Samoa v Brazil (17:00)
- Belgium v Namibia (19:30)
Thursday, November 13
- Belgium v Brazil (17:00)
- Samoa v Namibia (19:30)
Tuesday, November 18
- Namibia v Brazil (17:00)
- Samoa v Belgium (19:30)
Entry to all matches will be free.
May Allah grant the teams safe travel and good sportmanship, and may the best team win.
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