0

Story by David Skippers - Planet Rugby
The Accor Stadium in Sydney has been chosen as the venue to host the 2027 Rugby World Cup final while no matches will take place in Melbourne, according to Australian media reports.
Unnamed sources confirmed that the Accor Stadium, which can seat 82,000 spectators and was the venue for the Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000 and the 2003 Rugby World Cup final between England and the Wallabies, will host the final as well as the bronze medal match and both semi-finals at the global showpiece in 2027.
The state of Victoria will reportedly not host any matches at the 2027 Rugby World Cup despite having three venues – the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Marvel Stadium and AAMI Park – who have hosted rugby matches in the past.
Melbourne snubbed
According to a News Corp report, Victoria “has been completely shut-out of the entire tournament after the state government withdrew its bid in a futile protest at the decision to cut the Rebels from Super Rugby, something which World Rugby had no involvement in.”
The iconic MCG has a capacity of 100,000 and is set to host a Test between the Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions later this year which made it a candidate to host the 2027 Rugby World Cup Final but that won’t be happening.
Meanwhile, former Rugby Australia chief executive John O’Neill, who was at the helm during the 2003 World Cup, believes Sydney is the perfect venue.
‘It’s not a natural fit’
“I’m not suggesting that Melbourne isn’t a sensational sports destination for a moment but in reality, for the Rugby World Cup, it’s not a natural fit,” he told News Corp.
“History and tribalism indelibly promotes Sydney as an event and rugby mecca so it’s overwhelmingly compelling.”
Perth’s Optus Stadium is considered the favourite to host the 2027 Rugby World Cup’s opening match on October 1.
Exile
Port Macquarie
"I don’t know where you’re at in your life or what you’re going through, but I wanna tell you to keep going, baby. I wanna tell you success is on the other side of it.
I wanna tell you it’s gonna be okay. I wanna tell you that the windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror for a reason, because what’s in front of you is so much more important than what’s behind you."
Jelly Roll
- Jeez, surely both the Vic government and RA could try a bit harder. There's some serious money up for grabs for both.
- I for one felt that Perth was snubbed for a quarter final match in 2003. Sure, we got the England vs South Africa pool game, but Perth was the 'obvious' home for that one regardless but I felt we deserved a QF too, given we had packed Subi several times in the years previous for other internationals.
- Surely Brisbane deserves a Semi-Final?
- What about HBF Park? It would be perfect for matches such as Portugal vs Georgia?
- How many pool matches do you expect Perth will get?
Certainly disappointed that all the semis are in Sydney can’t see why they get almost the whole cake! Was hoping we might have seen one over this side.
May the FORCE be with you!
Since 2003 the RWC have always held both the semis and the final at the same ground. Presumably this is to avoid travel complications and possible bias if one semi was in Brisbane and one in Perth, the travel to Sydney for the two finalists is not equal.
2003 - Sydney (Olympic Park)
2007 - Stade de France
2011 - Eden Park
2015 - Twickenham
2019 - Yokohama
2023 - Stade de France
You have to go back to 1999 to find a time when the semis (both, Twickenham) were played at a different ground to the final (Millenium Stadium) and London and Cardiff are hardly that far apart.
The Bronze placed match is sometimes held at a different stadium, usually if there's another, smaller ground suitable in the same city as the final.
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon
I love the headline that Melbourne was "snubbed" when they withdrew their bid.
Melbourne was the entity doing the snubbing.
C'mon the![]()
![]()
Yes I definitely wasn’t surprised Perth didn’t get a semi because just too much disadvantage for whoever plays here then travels
I assume the opening game will feature the wallabies, if so that is still a pretty good coup for Perth and getting opening ceremony.
Another 2 or 3 pool games would be good as well
Also, i believe that the refs are the same for all the finals games, and they rotate through main and AR's.
If Perth gets the opening match, does that mean we get some bullshit opening ceremony that involves a script that the commentators have to read to the viewers so that we can understand what the hell we are watching?
Exile
Port Macquarie
"I don’t know where you’re at in your life or what you’re going through, but I wanna tell you to keep going, baby. I wanna tell you success is on the other side of it.
I wanna tell you it’s gonna be okay. I wanna tell you that the windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror for a reason, because what’s in front of you is so much more important than what’s behind you."
Jelly Roll
Just heard on ABC Radio that Perth will officially host the opening match of RWC 2027
Optus Stadium is set to add another feather to its cap, revealed as the host for the 2027 Rugby World Cup opening ceremony and tournament opener featuring the Wallabies.
It’s a massive boon for Perth, with the event bringing some of the world’s best rugby union players to our shores.
Optus Stadium has successfully hosted multiple rugby clashes despite the game needing a rectangular field instead of the ground’s oval surface that accommodates AFL.
Last year, the Wallabies hosted powerhouses in South Africa in Western Australia, while Perth hosted both State of Origin clashes between New South Wales and Queensland, as well as NRL games in the past.
Perth will host the Western Forces’ clash against the British and Irish Lions on June 26.
The State government first pushed to host the World Cup opener in 2022, with The West Australian reporting a high-powered World Rugby deputation was impressed by Perth’s bid and the stadium during a visit to the much-loved sporting cauldron.
Perth could have as many as six games, while Victoria is set to be snubbed from the six-week tournament.
In 2021, it was reported Perth could also host the final, given the sport’s governing body requires stadiums to be able to hold a minimum of 60,000 fans to host the decider, with Stadium Australia in Sydney and the MCG the only other grounds that fit the bill.
However, Sydney’s stadium, which can host 82,000 spectators, is believed to be preferred.
The ground also hosted the final in 2003 when England defeated Australia to be crowned world champions.
The tournament will run in the break between the AFL and cricket seasons, pencilled in for an October 1 start and holding the final on November 13.
South Africa are the current champions and have won the tournament a record-holding four times.
https://thewest.com.au/sport/rugby-u...c-17497821.amp
Nothing new here. The West (probably Nick Taylor) ran those stories two, three or four years ago. Nothing confirmed in the usual garbage from today's media. I noticed The West jumped on the same story on Channel Nine saying maybe, could be, possibly, set to, but no confirmation.
Couldn't find this printed online yet so apologies for the format:
![]()
They'll take the opening match away from us to give it to the MCG!
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon