The ninth Rugby World Cup, and the first ever in Asia, starts when hosts Japan play Russia in Tokyo on Friday, September 20.
The competition involves 20 sides, and comprises 48 matches, played in 12 venues across three islands in Japan.
New Zealand will be bidding to make it three World Cup titles in a row, after winning on home soil eight years ago, then again in England in 2015.
The All Blacks were recently toppled from the No 1 spot in the world rankings by Wales, who will be looking to become just the second side from the northern hemisphere – after England in 2003 – to win the Webb Ellis Cup.
South Africa will be hoping to continue their sequence of winning every third World Cup, while Ireland, England, France and Australia will all consider themselves contenders, too.
Pools
- Pool A – Ireland, Scotland, Japan, Russia, Samoa
- Pool B – New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Namibia, Canada
- Pool C – England, France, Argentina, United States, Tonga
- Pool D – Australia, Wales, Georgia, Fiji, Uruguay
TV
All matches will be broadcast in the Mena region by BeIN Sports
Fixtures (all kick offs are UAE times)
Friday, September 20
2.45pm – Japan v Russia
Saturday, September 21
8.45am – Australia v Fiji
11.15am – France v Argentina
1.45pm – New Zealand v South Africa
Sunday, September 22
9.15am – Italy v Namibia
11.45am – Ireland v Scotland
2.15pm – England v Tonga
Monday, September 23
2.15pm – Wales v Georgia
Tuesday, September 24
2.15pm – Russia v Samoa
Wednesday, September 25
9.15am – Fiji v Uruguay
Thursday, September 26
11.45am – Italy v Canada
2.45pm – England v United States
Saturday, September 28
8.45am – Argentina v Tonga
11.15am – Japan v Ireland
1.45pm – South Africa v Namibia
Sunday, September 29
9.15am – Georgia v Uruguay
11.45am – Australia v Wales
Monday, September 30
2.15pm – Scotland v Samoa
Wednesday, October 2
11.45am – France v United States
2.15pm – New Zealand v Canada
Thursday, October 3
9.15am – Georgia v Fiji
2.15pm – Ireland v Russia
Friday, October 4
1.45pm – South Africa v Italy
Saturday, October 5
9.15am – Australia v Uruguay
12pm – England v Argentina
2.30pm – Japan v Samoa
Sunday, October 6
8.45am – New Zealand v Namibia
11.45am – France v Tonga
Tuesday, October 8
2.15pm – South Africa v Canada
Wednesday, October 9
8.45am – Argentina v United States
11.15am – Scotland v Russia
1.45pm – Wales v Fiji
Friday, October 11
2.15pm – Australia v Georgia
Saturday, October 12
8.45am – New Zealand v Italy
12.15pm – England v France
2.45pm – Ireland v Samoa
Sunday, October 13
7.15am – Namibia v Canada
9.45am – United States v Tonga
12.15pm – Wales v Uruguay
2.45pm – Japan v Scotland
Saturday, October 19
11.15am – Quarterfinal 1: Winner Pool C v Runner up Pool D
2.15pm – Quarterfinal 2: Winner Pool B v Runner up Pool A
Sunday, October 20
11.15am – Quarterfinal 3: Winner Pool D v Runner up Pool C
2.15pm – Quarterfinal 4: Winner Pool A v Runner up Pool B
Saturday, October 26
12pm – Semifinal 1: Winner quarterfinal 1 v Winner quarterfinal 2
Sunday, October 27
1pm – Semifinal 2: Winner quarterfinal 3 v Winner quarterfinal 4
Friday, November 1
1pm – Bronze final
Saturday, November 2
1pm - Final
Past winners (Host country in brackets)
1987 – New Zealand (New Zealand)
1991 – Australia (England)
1995 – South Africa (South Africa)
1999 – Australia (Wales)
2003 – England (Australia)
2007 – South Africa (France)
2011 – New Zealand (New Zealand)
2015 – New Zealand (England)
