The Canadian men have secured their spot in the Rugby World Cup. Ranked 24th globally, Canada’s qualification for the 2027 tournament in Australia was confirmed after Japan, ranked 13th, defeated the 18th-ranked United States 47-21 in a Pacific Nations Cup match in Sacramento, California.
This outcome places Canada (1-1-0) in second position behind Japan (2-0-0) in Pool B, guaranteeing them a minimum fourth-place finish in the six-team tournament. The Pacific Nations Cup acts as a World Cup qualifier, sending three teams to the 2027 event in Australia. With Fiji and Japan already qualified based on their performance in the 2023 World Cup, Canada has secured an automatic berth by joining them in the semifinals.
Canada’s journey in Pool B began with a 34-10 victory over the U.S. on August 22 in Calgary, followed by a 57-50 loss to Japan in Sendai eight days later. The semifinals and the fifth-versus-sixth game of the Pacific Nations Cup are scheduled for September 14 in Denver, with the championship and third-place match set for September 20 in Salt Lake City.
In the semifinals, Canada will face Fiji (2-0-0) while Japan will take on Tonga (1-1-0). The U.S. (0-2-0) will compete against Samoa (0-2-0) for fifth place, and the fifth-place team will also secure a spot in the World Cup.
The Canadian men missed out on the 2023 World Cup for the first time, losing in qualifying matches to the U.S. and Chile. Uruguay secured their spot by winning the 2025 Sudamericano, becoming the 20th team to qualify. Chile will face the sixth-place team from the Pacific Nations Cup in a playoff for a chance to advance to the World Cup.
The 2027 World Cup will feature 24 teams, an increase from 20 in 2023. Canada’s successful qualification for the tournament was led by new coach Steve Meehan, an Australian who took over the team in December. Under his guidance, Canada is now 1-3-0. The Canadian women’s team, currently ranked second globally, is participating in the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England, with their next match against Australia.