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 on the horizon, with every moment between now and then being seen through the lens of the tournament.
The Six Nations will serve as a health check ahead of the World Cup as England and Wales rebuild with new coaches, hoping to strike the right chords in the build-up to the autumn festival of rugby.
2019 champions South Africa will be determined to defend their title, though a string of high-profile defeats over the last year suggests this may be a close-run tournament.
The Springboks have been toppled by Wales, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland and France since last July. This is an open tournament with any number of nations hoping to capitalise.
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 Monday 3rd July 2023 and run until the men’s singles final on Sunday 16th July 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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