Les Bleus fans will be optimistic that a first global triumph on home soil may finally now beckon with Fabien Galthie’s side packed full of depth and talent and led by the irrepressible Antoine Dupont, though injuries and controversy have rather plagued their build-up as they seek to go one better than their previous three runners-up finishes.
The World Cup draw is heavily lopsided having been conducted almost three years in advance, with top-ranked Ireland and No2 team and defending champions South Africa locked together in a nightmare Pool B along with Scotland.
Andy Farrell’s Men in Green are heavily fancied to finally end their World Cup hoodoo after Six Nations Grand Slam glory and an impressive summer series, but the Springboks are in typically ominous mood as they look to successfully defend their crown.
Wales and Australia – who have struggled notably under Warren Gatland and Eddie Jones respectively – are familiar foes along with England conquerors Fiji in Pool C, while Steve Borthwick’s England have endured a horrendous run-up to the tournament as they clash with Argentina, Japan, Samoa and Chile in Pool D.
Few have given England any chance of lifting their second Webb Ellis Cup and first for two decades after a torrid 2023 so far, though Borthwick is convinced that they will spring some surprises in France.
Here is everything you need to know for the upcoming Rugby World Cup, including fixtures, kick-off times, how to watch every game for free, venues and latest odds.
Rugby World Cup 2023 fixtures, results, kick-off times and how to watch
All times BST, unless stated
Pool A
Friday, September 8
France 27-13 New Zealand
Saturday, September 9
Italy vs Namibia (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, 12pm, ITV1)
Thursday, September 14
France vs Uruguay (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, 8pm, ITV4)
Friday, September 15
New Zealand vs Namibia (Stadium de Toulouse, 8pm, ITV4)
Wednesday, September 20
Italy vs Uruguay (Stade de Nice, 4:45pm, ITV4)
Thursday, September 21
France vs Namibia (Stade Velodrome, 8pm, ITV4)
Wednesday, September 27
Uruguay vs Namibia (OL Stadium, 4:45pm, ITV4)
Friday, September 29
New Zealand vs Italy (OL Stadium, 8pm, ITV1)
Thursday, October 5
New Zealand vs Uruguay (OL Stadium, 8pm, ITV1)
Friday, October 6
France vs Italy (OL Stadium, 8pm, ITV1)
Pool B
Saturday, September 9
Ireland vs Romania (Stade de Bordeaux, 2:30pm, ITV1)
Sunday, September 10
South Africa vs Scotland (Stade Velodrome, 4:45pm, ITV1)
Saturday, September 16
Ireland vs Tonga (Stade de la Beaujoire, 8pm, ITV1)
Sunday, September 17
South Africa vs Romania (Stade de Bordeaux, 2pm, ITV1)
Saturday, September 23
South Africa vs Ireland (Stade de France, 8pm, ITV1)
Sunday, September 24
Scotland vs Tonga (Stade de Nice, 4:45pm, ITV1)
Saturday, September 30
Scotland vs Romania (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, 8pm, ITV)
Sunday, October 1
South Africa vs Tonga (Stade Velodrome, 8pm, ITV1)
Saturday, October 7
Ireland vs Scotland (Stade de France, 8pm, ITV1)
Sunday, October 8
Tonga vs Romania (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, 4:45pm, ITV3)
Pool C
Saturday, September 9
Australia vs Georgia (Stade de France, 5pm, ITV1)
Sunday, September 10
Wales vs Fiji (Stade de Bordeaux, 8pm, ITV1)
Saturday, September 16
Wales vs Portugal (Stade de Nice, 4:45pm, ITV1)
Sunday, September 17
Australia vs Fiji (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, 4:45pm, ITV1)
Saturday, September 23
Georgia vs Portugal (Stadium de Toulouse, 1pm, ITV1)
Sunday, September 24
Wales vs Australia (OL Stadium, 8pm, ITV1)
Saturday, September 30
Fiji vs Georgia (Stade de Bordeaux, 4:45pm, ITV1)
Sunday, October 1
Australia vs Portugal (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, 4:45pm, ITV1)
Saturday, October 7
Wales vs Georgia (Stade de la Beaujoire, 2pm, ITV1)
Sunday, October 8
Fiji vs Portugal (Stadium de Toulouse, 8pm, ITV4)
Pool D
Saturday, September 9
England vs Argentina (Stade Velodrome, 8pm, ITV1)
Sunday, September 10
Japan vs Chile (Stadium de Toulouse, 12pm, ITV1)
Saturday, September 16
Samoa vs Chile (Stade de Bordeaux, 2pm, ITV4)
Sunday, September 17
England vs Japan (Stade de Nice, 8pm, ITV1)
Friday, September 22
Argentina vs Samoa (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, 4:45pm, ITV1)
Saturday, September 23
England vs Chile (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, 4:45pm, ITV1)
Thursday, September 28
Japan vs Samoa (Stadium de Toulouse, 8pm, ITV4)
Saturday, September 30
Argentina vs Chile (Stade de la Beaujoire, 2pm, ITV1)
Saturday, October 7
England vs Samoa (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, 4:45pm, ITV1)
Sunday, October 8
Japan vs Argentina (Stade de la Beaujoire, 12pm, ITV1)
Quarter-finals
Saturday, October 14
Winner of Pool C vs Runner-up of Pool D (Stade Velodrome, 4pm, ITV1)
Winner of Pool B vs Runner-up of Pool A (Stade de France, 8pm, ITV1)
Sunday, October 15
Winner of Pool D vs Runner-up of Pool C (Stade Velodrome, 4pm, ITV1)
Winner of Pool A vs Runner-up of Pool B (Stade de France, 8pm, ITV1)
Semi-finals
Friday, October 20
Winner of quarter-final 1 vs Winner of quarter-final 2 (Stade de France, 8pm, ITV1)
Saturday, October 21
Winner of quarter-final 3 vs Winner of quarter-final 4 (Stade de France, 8pm, ITV1)
Bronze final
Friday, October 27
Loser of semi-final 1 vs Loser of semi-final 2 (Stade de France, 8pm, ITV1)
Final
Saturday, October 28
Winner of semi-final 1 vs Winner of semi-final 2 (Stade de France, 8pm, ITV1)
Rugby World Cup 2023 venues
Stade de France, Paris (capacity 80,023)
Stade Velodrome, Marseille (capacity 67,847)
OL Stadium, Lyon (capacity 58,883)
Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille (capacity 50,096)
Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux (capacity 42,115)
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne (capacity 41,965)
Stade de Nice, Nice (capacity 35,983)
Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes (capacity 35,520)
Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse (capacity 33,150)
Rugby World Cup 2023 odds
Winner
France – 5/2
South Africa – 11/4
New Zealand – 10/3
Ireland – 9/2
Australia – 10/1
England – 12/1
Argentina – 20/1
Wales – 30/1
Scotland – 35/1
Fiji – 80/1
Japan – 200/1
Tonga – 400/1
Samoa – 425/1
Italy – 500/1
Georgia – 500/1
Namibia – 500/1
Romania – 500/1
Uruguay – 500/1
Chile – 500/1
Portugal – 500/1
Odds via Betfair (subject to change, correct as of 11pm, September 8, 2023).
