Paraguay have made history by advancing to the Rugby World Cup 2027 repechage tournament. Los Yacarés secured their spot after completing a clean sweep over Brazil in their two-leg series, winning both matches to rise in the World Rugby Rankings and keep their World Cup dream alive.
A 31–24 victory on Saturday added to their earlier 39–19 win, giving Paraguay an aggregate triumph and qualification as Sudamérica 3. They will now join three other nations in the repechage — the final stage of global qualification — where one team will claim the last ticket to Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia.
The repechage will take place in Dubai from November 8–18, with the winner earning the 24th and final spot at the expanded tournament. The 2027 Rugby World Cup will feature 24 teams, four more than in previous editions between 1999 and 2023.
Joining Paraguay in Dubai are Samoa, Namibia, and Belgium. Samoa, a World Cup regular since 1991, dropped into the repechage after losing to Chile in the Pacific qualifier. That win secured Chile’s place at Australia 2027, joining Argentina, Uruguay, and Spain to make four Spanish-speaking nations confirmed for the tournament.
Namibia advanced after defeating the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the Africa 2 vs Asia 2 playoff. The Welwitschias have appeared at every Rugby World Cup since 1999 but missed out on direct qualification this time after losing a thriller to Zimbabwe. The Sables sealed their return to the global stage — and their first appearance since 1991 — with a dramatic 30–28 victory.
Belgium will make their repechage debut after edging out the Netherlands in European qualifying. The Belgians are chasing a historic first-ever appearance at the Rugby World Cup.
World Rugby is expected to announce the fixture schedule soon. The repechage begins November 8 in Dubai, where Paraguay will fight to turn their World Cup dream into reality.
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