When is Rugby World Cup 2023? Dates, times and schedule
Your guide to when the Rugby World Cup 2023 will go ahead, including an initial schedule for the tournament.
The Rugby World Cup 2023 is almost here with teams squeezing in their final warm-up matches prior to the big kick-off in France.
Reigning champions South Africa trek to the Northern Hemisphere in a bid to defend their crown but a number of menacing opponents will also fancy their chances of victory.
New Zealand have returned to formidable shape, while France boast an elite unit capable of mounting a legimitate charge.
Six Nations champions Ireland appear the most likely candidate from the British Isles to claim the title, perennial dark horses Scotland will assume their position behind the elite pack once again, while Wales and England are in ropey shape on and off the field right now.
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RadioTimes.com brings you all the dates you need to know for the Rugby World Cup 2023.
When is the Rugby World Cup 2023?
The Rugby World Cup 2023 will begin on Friday 8th September 2023 and run until the final on Saturday 28th October 2023.
Rugby World Cup 2023 schedule
Pool stage
Friday 8th September 2023
France v New Zealand (8pm, Paris)
Saturday 9th September 2023
Italy v Namibia (12pm, Saint-Etienne)
Ireland v Romania (2:30pm, Bordeaux)
Australia v Georgia (5pm, Paris)
England v Argentina (8pm, Marseille)
Sunday 10th September 2023
Japan v Chile (12pm, Toulouse)
South Africa v Scotland (4:45pm, Marseille)
Wales v Fiji (8pm, Bordeaux)
Thursday 14th September 2023
France v Uruguay (8pm, Lille)
Friday 15th September 2023
New Zealand v Namibia (8pm, Toulouse)
Saturday 16th September 2023
Samoa v Chile (2pm, Bordeaux)
Wales v Portugal (4:45pm, Nice)
Ireland v Tonga (8pm, Nantes)
Sunday 17th September 2023
South Africa v Romania (2pm, Bordeaux)
Australia v Fiji (4:45pm, Saint-Etienne)
England v Japan (8pm, Nice)
Wednesday 20th September 2023
Italy v Uruguay (4:45pm, Nice)
Thursday 21st September 2023
France v Namibia (8pm, Marseille)
Friday 22nd September 2023
Argentina v Samoa (4:45pm, Saint-Etienne)
Saturday 23rd September 2023
Georgia v Portugal (1pm, Toulouse)
England v Chile (4:45pm, Lille)
South Africa v Ireland (8pm, Paris)
Sunday 24th September 2023
Scotland v Tonga (4:45pm, Nice)
Wales v Australia (8pm, Lyon)
Wednesday 27th September 2023
Uruguay v Namibia (4:45pm, Lyon)
Thursday 28th September 2023
Japan v Samoa (8pm, Toulouse)
Friday 29th September 2023
New Zealand v Italy (8pm, Lyon)
Saturday 30th September 2023
Argentina v Chile (2pm, Nantes)
Fiji v Georgia (4:45pm, Bordeaux)
Scotland v Romania (8pm, Lille)
Sunday 1st October 2023
Australia v Portugal (4:45pm, Saint-Etienne)
South Africa v Tonga (8pm, Marseille)
Thursday 5th October 2023
New Zealand v Uruguay (8pm, Lyon)
Friday 6th October 2023
France v Italy (8pm, Lyon)
Saturday 7th October 2023
Wales v Georgia (2pm, Nantes)
England v Samoa (2:45pm, Lille)
Ireland v Scotland (8pm, Paris)
Sunday 8th October 2023
Japan v Argentina (12pm, Nantes)
Tonga v Romania (4:45pm, Lille)
Fiji v Portugal (8pm, Toulouse)
Quarter-finals
Saturday 14th October 2023
QF1 – Pool C Winner v Pool D Runner-Up (4pm, Marseille)
QF2 – Pool B Winner v Pool A Runner-Up (8pm, Paris)
Sunday 15th October 2023
QF3 - Pool D Winner v Pool C Runner-Up (4pm, Marseille)
QF4 - Pool A Winner v Pool B Runner-Up (8pm, Paris)
Semi-finals
Friday 20th October 2023
SF1 - QF1 Winner v QF2 Winner (8pm, Paris)
Saturday 21th October 2023
SF2 - QF3 Winner v QF4 Winner (8pm, Paris)
Third-place play-off
Friday 27th October 2023
SF1 loser v SF2 loser (8pm, Paris)
Final
Saturday 28th October 2023
SF1 winner v SF2 winner (8pm, Paris)
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Authors
Michael Potts is the Sport Editor for Radio Times, covering all of the biggest sporting events across the globe with previews, features, interviews and more. He has worked for Radio Times since 2019 and previously worked on the sport desk at Express.co.uk after starting his career writing features for What Culture. He achieved a first-class degree in Sports Journalism in 2014.