Canada, positioned 25th globally, has been allocated to Pool C alongside Argentina (ranked 6th), Fiji (ranked 8th), and Spain (ranked 15th) for the upcoming 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. The draw ceremony in Sydney on Wednesday also matched the host nation, Australia (ranked 7th), with New Zealand (ranked 2nd) in Pool A, marking the first time these rivals will meet in pool play.
Being the lowest-ranked team in the expanded 24-team tournament, Canada was predicted to face tough opponents. However, the draw turned out relatively favorable for Stephen Meehan’s squad. Canada was placed in a group with Argentina from Pot 1, Fiji from Pot 2, and Spain from Pot 3, avoiding a worst-case scenario of facing defending champion South Africa, Australia, and Georgia based on rankings.
Pool C is expected to be highly competitive with Argentina and Fiji bringing a mix of physicality and skill. Despite not having faced the full Argentina team since 2005, Canada has had several encounters with Argentina XV, with Fiji securing a dominant victory over Canada in their recent meeting. Canada will aim to capitalize on their familiarity with Spain, having narrowly lost to them in a previous match.
The 2027 World Cup will feature a new format with six groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each pool, along with the four best third-place finishers, will progress to the knockout rounds, starting with the round of 16. Canada, aiming to break an 11-game winless streak at the tournament, last advanced past the pool stage in 1991.
The tournament is scheduled to take place from October 1 to November 13 across various cities in Australia. This will be Canada’s fourth time facing Fiji at the World Cup, having previously won in 1991 but faced defeats in subsequent editions. Canada will encounter Argentina and Spain for the first time in World Cup history.
In the 2027 tournament, 12 teams secured automatic qualification based on their performance in the 2023 event, while the remaining spots were filled through regional competitions. Spain earned their place as the runner-up in the 2025 Rugby Europe Championship.
The structure of the tournament will see pool winners facing third-place teams in the round of 16, with potential matchups against other group winners in the quarterfinals. The Pool E and F winners will meet runners-up from other groups until the semifinals, adding an element of unpredictability to the knockout stages.
