Let’s score a winning try!
After hosting matches in the 2016 European Football Championship, followed by the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, and before the arrival of the 2024 Olympic Games, we look forward to welcoming the 2023 Rugby World Cup!
The City of Lyon, named ‘World's Leading Emerging Tourism Destination 2021’, will host five matches at the OL Stadium.
- Sunday 24 September 2023 at 9 pm: Wales vs Australia
- Wednesday 27 September 2023 at 5.45 pm: Uruguay vs Namibia
- Friday 29 September 2023 at 9 pm: New Zealand vs Italy
- Thursday 5 October 2023 at 9 pm: New Zealand vs Uruguay
- Friday 6 October 2023 at 9 pm: France vs Italy
The 20 qualified teams are split into four pools:
- Pool A: New-Zealand / France / Italy / Uruguay / Namibia
- Pool B: South Africa / Ireland / Scotland / Tonga / Romania
- Pool C: Wales / Australia / Fiji / Georgia / Portugal
- Pool D: England / Japan / Argentina / Samoa / Chile
After reaching the final three times, without going on to win unfortunately, France will have an opportunity to play its matches on home ground and hopefully emerge as the winner this time!
The France team, led by its captain, Antoine Dupont, will have its work cut out to knock out three-time-world-champions New Zealand.
How the competition will play out
For those who are unfamiliar with the sport, here is how the teams will make their way towards the final and a chance of lifting the Webb Ellis Cup!
Each team will take on the other teams in its pool as they fight it out to reach the quarter-finals.
At the quarter-finals stage, each winner of its pool will play against the runner-up from another pool.
The four winners of these quarter-finals will then play in the semi-finals, which is the last stage before the final.
The final will be played at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, where we all hope to see our favourite players!
Extra info
We are honoured to host New Zealand’s team, by the latest on the 4th of September 2023, which have chosen Lyon as its base of operations! The players will train using the facilities at the LOU Rugby club and the Plaine des Jeux pitches in Gerland. Start practising your haka.
As we await the arrival of this fantastic sporting event, let’s learn some rugby songs and prepare the face paints!
We hope you will turn out in force and full of energy to support your favourite team.
Do you have any questions about the organisation of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in the Lyon metropolitan area? Please don’t hesitate to contact us via this form
