The qualification process for the

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began during the pool stages of the 2019 tournament in Japan, at which the top three teams from each of the four pools qualified automatically for the 2023 event. A further eight teams will qualify through regional, cross-regional play-offs and the repechage process. The qualifying matches began on 5 June 2021, when

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defeated Burundi 52–3 in the first round of the African Qualification. The qualification process concluded in November 2022 with the Final Qualification Tournament.

Qualified teams

Qualification process

Following confirmation of the twelve automatically qualified teams from the 2019 Rugby World Cup,

World Rugby World Rugby is the world governing body for the sport of rugby union. World Rugby organises the Rugby World Cup every four years, the sport's most recognised and most profitable competition. It also organises a number of other international rug ...

announced the qualification format for the eight remaining places on 8 June 2020. Of the eight berths remaining, six are to be decided in regional tournaments, one by a cross-regional playoff and the last one via a final qualification tournament.

Africa

Rugby Africa was granted one place at the world cup, which was awarded to the winners of the 2022 Africa Cup (Africa 1), after a three-round phased process. The runner-up (Africa 2) advanced to the Final Qualification Tournament as Africa 2.

Americas

The Americas was awarded two qualifying berths, decided by several play-off matches across both North America and South America. Americas 1 was awarded to the winner of round 3; where North America 1 (the winner of a United States-Canada play-off series) v South America 1 (the winner of SAR 3 Nations Championship) played each other, with the winner on aggregate qualifying for the World Cup. Americas 2 were the winners on aggregate in a final play-off series between the runners-up of round 3 and the winners of a play-off series between North America 2 and South Americas 2. The loser of the final play-off series progressed to the Final Qualification Tournament as Americas 3.

Asia

Asia Rugby Asia Rugby, formerly the Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU), is the governing body of rugby union in Asia under the authority of World Rugby. Founded in 1968 by eight charter nations, the Union today has 36 member unions in countries across Asia, ...

, with its top-ranked team automatically qualified already, did not get another direct qualifying place. However, the 2021 Asia Rugby Championship (later delayed to 2022) winner (Asia 1) will have the chance to qualify via a cross-regional play-off against Oceania 2 (Tonga).

Europe

Rugby Europe Rugby Europe is the administrative body for rugby union in Europe. It was formed in 1999 to promote, develop, organise, and administer the game of rugby in Europe under the authority of World Rugby (the sport's global governing body). However, it ...

, having six teams automatically qualified, gained a further two more world cup berths, which will be awarded to the winners and runners-up of a combined

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– 2022 Rugby Europe Championship (Europe 1 and Europe 2) table. The third-placed team advances to the Final Qualification Tournament as Europe 3.

Oceania

Oceania Rugby Oceania Rugby, previously known as the Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions (FORU), is the regional governing body for rugby union in Oceania. It was founded in 2000 to represent the interests of Oceania rugby within World Rugby, the international g ...

was granted one direct qualification berth, and was awarded to the winner on aggregate of a Samoa–Tonga home and away play-off (Oceania 1). The loser, Tonga, then progressed to a straight play-off match against the deemed winner of the

2021 Oceania Rugby Cup The 2021 Oceania Rugby Cup for national rugby union teams in the Oceania region was set to be held in Papua New Guinea in June 2021. The event was cancelled on 30 April 2021 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic in Papua New Guinea. Since th ...

(Cook Islands), which Tonga won to advance as Oceania 2 to a cross-regional play-off against Asia 1.

Play-off and Final Qualification Tournament

Following the regional tournaments, the next qualification stage was a single-leg qualification match between Asia 1 (

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) and Oceania 2 (

Tonga Tonga (, ; ), officially the Kingdom of Tonga ( to, Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a Polynesian country and archipelago. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in ...

), with the winner (

) qualifying for the 2023 Rugby World Cup as Asia/Pacific 1.

advanced to the Final Qualification Tournament as Asia/Pacific 2. The final stage of the qualification process concluded in November 2022 with a four-teamed round-robin format Final Qualification Tournament. The four teams were: * (Africa 2) * (Americas 3) * (Europe 3) * (Asia/Pacific 2)

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won the final Qualifier and joined

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of the 2023 World Cup.

References

External links

Official site
{{Rugby Union World Cup