Wallabies v All Blacks pool stage clash set for Sydney’s Accor Stadium

This means Australia will play either Hong Kong China or Chile in their opening match in Perth. The Wallabies will not be under serious threat from either striker, but another factor in the decision, according to knowledgeable sources, was concern that the Wallabies’ defeat in the opening match would reduce interest levels in Australia.

There was hope that the Wallabies-All Blacks blockbuster could be staged at the MCG, where it could potentially attract 100,000 fans. However, the MCG was not available for World Cup matches due to the Victorian government giving the US National Football League its first choice of date (aside from the AFL finals) in October 2027 to use the ground.

Given that the eight matches in Melbourne will be played at the 56,000-seat Marvel Stadium and other options such as Suncorp Stadium (50,000 seats) and Adelaide Oval (53,000) are similar in size, the Wallabies-All Blacks match will be played at Accor Stadium in Sydney, according to knowledgeable sources.

The Homebush venue, the country’s second-largest venue with a capacity of 82,000, will allow World Cup organizers to maximize revenue on another sold-out event. Almost all of World Rugby’s income comes from World Cups, and it is spending these reserves over the next four years.

Sydney, which staged the Wallabies’ biggest pool match, confirms it will virtually host the 2027 World Cup. It has already been announced that Accor Stadium, which hosted the 2003 World Cup final, will again host the final, semi-finals, bronze medal match, two quarter-finals and two pool matches. Allianz Stadium will also host three pool matches and two round of 16 matches.

It is unclear whether Chile or Hong Kong China will play the Wallabies in Perth.

Chile are an emerging team, having beaten Samoa, Uruguay and Canada last year, and the 17th-placed Condors are currently ranked higher than Samoa and Tonga. Chile even inflicted a 15-point defeat on Italy in November, just two weeks after the Wallabies lost seven points to Italy. World number 23 Hong Kong China is in its first World Cup.

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It is not uncommon for the home team to play lower seed in the opening match. After New Zealand defeated Italy in 1987, the defending champions played the home team in their opening match in 1991 and 1995, but this was abandoned in 1999 when Wales faced Argentina.

Pumas subsequently played in the opening matches of the next two World Cups, beating France in the 2007 opener. New Zealand played Tonga in 2011, England played Fiji in 2015, and Japan played Russia in 2019.

In 2023, France opted to play the All Blacks first and won, but excitement levels faded in the remaining three matches against Uruguay, Namibia and Italy. The home team was later defeated in the quarter-finals.