World Rugby has announced that Brazil will take Paraguay’s place in the Final Qualification Tournament for the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027, set to take place in Dubai from 8–18 November. The change comes after Paraguay’s withdrawal from the competition, following the discovery that they had fielded an ineligible player during their recent play-off matches against Brazil.
World Rugby acknowledged Paraguay’s voluntary admission of the oversight and accepted their explanation that the error stemmed from an administrative mistake, rather than an attempt to gain any unfair advantage.
Gustavo Borgognon, President of the Paraguayan Rugby Union, expressed regret over the incident:
“This is a difficult moment for our team and our community, but it’s a decision we must make as men of principle, true to rugby’s core value of integrity. The Regulation 8 provision on player eligibility was misunderstood; there was no intention to gain a sporting advantage, and we fully accept the consequences.
On behalf of the Paraguayan Rugby Union, I want to thank everyone who contributed to reaching this milestone for our sport. Rugby in Paraguay has progressed greatly through dedication and teamwork. Our high-performance programmes continue to show promise, and by staying united, we will overcome this setback and keep advancing the game we love.”
World Rugby reaffirmed that member unions and competition organisers carry full responsibility for conducting comprehensive player eligibility checks. To help with this process, the organisation highlighted its “Player Eligibility Checker” tool, available on the World Rugby Passport website, which allows unions to quickly and easily verify player eligibility.
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