The countdown for the 2023 Rugby World Cup has officially begun with World Rugby celebrating exactly two years to go until the tenth edition of the tournament.
On September 8 2023, host nation France will kick off proceedings against New Zealand, which coincides with the 200th anniversary of the sport.
Want to get the best tickets to Rugby World Cup 2023? Book now with Wallabies Travel
Dave Rennie’s men will face their first match of the tournament a day late on September 9, facing an Europe 1 qualifier which is likely to be Georgia at Saint-Denis.
They then will face their ghosts of World Cup pasts in Fiji (September 17 in Saint-Etienne) and Wales (September 24 in Décines-Charpieu), with the three nations somehow drawn in the same pool for the third straight tournament.
The Wallabies will return to Saint-Etienne to face the Final Qualifier Winner on October 1 as they look to improve on their quarter-final finish in 2019.
“In two years, France will be the centre of the sporting universe. Rugby World Cup 2023 will be the most impactful and sustainable rugby event ever, delivering a meaningful legacy that reaches beyond economic and rugby growth, and an embodiment of our core values,” World Rugby CEO Bill Beaumont said in a statement.
“The players are at the centre of our planning and in addition to increased rest days and squad sizes, the world’s top players will have everything they need to perform to their best on rugby’s biggest stage with world-class match venues and training facilities.
“If the players are the heart of the tournament, then the fans will provide the heartbeat, energy and emotion and we want them to have the most incredible experience in stadia, across the host cities and at home watching the drama unfold.
“France 2023 is already shaping up to be the most popular Rugby World Cup ever with more than one million tickets selling within a matter of hours and more to go on sale this month. We can’t stress it enough: everybody is invited!”
“In just two years we will kick off this much anticipated event for the hundreds of millions of fans of this very special sport. All are welcome to the French regions both on and off the pitch for this 10th Rugby World Cup. Much more than a match, the opening encounter on 8 September 2023 will be a dream come true,” France 2023 CEO Claude Atcher added.
“France 2023 is getting ready every day for an extraordinary event of exceptional high standard: 730 days to bring an exemplary sporting event into reality, one that will raise the bar in terms of economic, social and environmental innovation.
“Our mission is to leave behind the best legacy we can. The adventure will continue beyond the final whistle. In putting the organisation of this event at the heart of the territories we have taken on an essential challenge: to make sport central to the building of social connections.”
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Packages are now on sale for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, through Wallabies Travel, the Official Travel Partner of Rugby Australia and an Official Travel Agent for Rugby World Cup 2023.
They include exclusive ticket-inclusive travel packages for Wallabies fans from the opening ceremony through to the final, with Classic Wallabies such as George Gregan, David Campese, Will Genia, Morgan Turinui, Chris Whitaker and Owen Finegan set to join the tour to provide their invaluable experience and memories.
