# 2027 Men's Rugby World Cup – Asia qualification

The qualifying process for the 2027 Men's Rugby World Cup for Asian teams commenced in April 2024, with eight teams competing for one qualification spot (Asia 1) and one spot in a play-off match (Asia 2).

## Format

The Asia Rugby Championship, governed by Asia Rugby, is the regional qualification tournament for Rugby World Cup 2027, with the top two divisions in the region acting as the process. In a three-round phased system; round 1 was the Asia Rugby Men's Division 1 competition, which saw three straight knock-out matches to decide the winner of the competition and advance the a round 3 repechage match.
Round two, was the 2024 Asia Rugby Championship, which acted as a seeding round for the third round of the qualification process; the 2025 Asia Rugby Championship, with the top three teams advancing to the final qualification round. The bottom placed team will face the winner of Round 1, in a Round 3 repechage to determine who progresses to the final round as the fourth seeded team.
The final round will be the 2025 Asian Rugby Championship, with the winner qualifying for the World Cup as Asia 1, and the runner-up (Asia 2) advancing to a play-off match against Africa 2 to decide who progresses to the Final Qualification Tournament.

## Entrants

Eight teams competed during for the Asian qualifiers for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, with Japan the only team thus far qualified from the Region. (Rankings as of first qualification match in this region)
| Nation | Rank | Began play | Qualifying status |
| Hong Kong China | 22 | 1 June 2024 | |
| India | 87 | 30 April 2024 | Eliminated by Sri Lanka on 30 April 2024 |
| Japan | 13 | N/A | Qualified with Top 12 finish at 2023 World Cup |
| Kazakhstan | 64 | 30 April 2024 | Eliminated by Sri Lanka on 4 May 2024 |
| Malaysia | 49 | 2 June 2024 | |
| Qatar | 94 | 30 April 2024 | Eliminated by Kazakhstan on 30 April 2024 |
| South Korea | 30 | 2 June 2024 | |
| Sri Lanka | 44 | 30 April 2024 | |
| United Arab Emirates | 61 | 1 June 2024 | |

## Round 1: 2024 Asia Rugby Men's Division 1

The 2024 Asia Rugby Men's Division 1 was contested by four teams in a knockout format.
The tournament was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka won the competition and advanced to Play-off, whilst India, Kazakhstan and Qatar were all eliminated.
| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final |
| Qatar | 31 |
| Kazakhstan | 33 | | |
| Kazakhstan | 33 | Kazakhstan | 7 |
| | | Sri Lanka | 45 |
| Sri Lanka | 45 | Sri Lanka | 45 |
| India | 10 | | |
| India | 10 | 3rd/4th Playoff Final | 3rd/4th Playoff Final |
| | | Qatar | 34 |
| | | India | 25 |

### Semi-Finals

* 30 April 2024 16:00 IST (UTC+05:30)
| Qatar | 31–33 | Kazakhstan |
| Try: Penalty Try 1' c Lotter 34' c Rakabu 40' c Bezuidenhout 53' c Con: Tremayne (3/3) 35' 40' 54' Pen: Tremayne (1/2) 64' Cards: Lotter 75' | Report | Try: Litvinov 4' c Petukhov 26' c Nazhibayev 45' m Chsherbakov 56' c Lymar 66' c Con: Nazhibayev (4/5) 4' 27' 57' 67' Cards: Akymbeov 1' Ivanov 37' |
* Colombo Racecourse, Sri Lanka Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Ishanka Abeykoon (Sri Lanka)
* 30 April 2024 19:00 IST (UTC+05:30)
| Sri Lanka | 45–10 | India |
| Try: Dissanayake (2) 15' c, 45' m Nanayakkara (2) 18' c, 55' c Ekanayake 33' c Ratwatte 74' c Sampath 80' c Con: Ratwatte (4/6) 16' 19' 34' 57' Sampath (1/1) 80' Cards: Madushanka 62' | Report | Try: P. Tanwar 63' c Con: Punia (1/1) 64' Pen: Punia (1/1) 3' Cards: Hansdah 40' |
* Colombo Racecourse, Sri Lanka Attendance: 6,500 Referee: Just Wang (Singapore)

### Third Place play-off

* 4 May 2024 16:00 IST (UTC+05:30)
| Qatar | 34–25 | India |
| Try: Philips (2) 2' c, 68' m Lock 6' c Beracibi 13' c Rakabu 19' c Con: Rakabu (1/2) 3' Tremayne (2/2) 7' 14' Pen: Tremayne (1/1) 57' Cards: Hughes 15' Swart 74' | Report | Try: P. Tanwar 53' c V. Patil 76' c N. Khatri 79' m Con: Punia (2/3) 55' 77' Pen: Punia (2/2) 5' 10' Cards: S. Shukla 21' Singh 56' |
* Colombo Racecourse, Sri Lanka Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Ishanka Abeykoon (Sri Lanka)

### Final

* 4 May 2024 19:00 IST (UTC+05:30)
| Sri Lanka | 45–7 | Kazakhstan |
| Try: Doray 10' m Weerathunge 18' m Nanayakkara 24' c Ratwatte 31' c Ekanayake 36' c Jansen 41' c S. Silva 75' c Con: Ratwatte (4/6) 25' 32' 38' 42' Sampath 76' (1/1) Cards: de Silva 61' | Report | Try: Magomedov 57' c Con: Nazhibayev (1/1) 58' Cards: Imam 17' |
* Colombo Racecourse, Sri Lanka Attendance: 20,000 Referee: James Fairbourne (UAE)

### Final standings

| Pos. | Team | Qualification |
| 1 | Sri Lanka | Advances to Round 3 repechage |
| 2 | Kazakhstan | |
| 3 | Qatar | |
| 4 | India | |

## Round 2: 2024 Asian Rugby Championship

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | B | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Hong Kong China | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 189 | 18 | +171 | 3 | 15 | |
| 2 | United Arab Emirates | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 103 | 103 | 0 | 2 | 10 | |
| 3 | South Korea | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 94 | 108 | −14 | 3 | 7 | |
| 4 | Malaysia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 30 | 187 | −157 | 0 | 0 | Promotion/Relegation Playoff with winner of Round 1 |

### Matches

* 1 June 2024 15:30 HKT (UTC+8)
| (1 BP) Hong Kong China | 52–5 | United Arab Emirates |
| Try: McCormick-Houston 16' c Laidler (2) 19' c, 23' m Hill (2) 33' c, 43' c Altier 48' c Post 74' c Higson-Smith 77' m Con: Hill (5/7) 17', 34', 45', 50', 76' Sawyer (1/1) 20' Cards: McCormick-Houston 50' | Report | Try: Vecanua 5' m |
* Hong Kong Football Club Stadium, Hong Kong Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Katsuki Furuse (Japan)
* 2 June 2024 14:00 KST (UTC+9)
| (1 BP) South Korea | 55–5 | Malaysia |
| Try: Jin Kyu (2) 7' m, 71' c Hyeon Je 14' c Jeong Wook (3) 24' c, 30' m, 39' c Yong Un 26' c Chan Ju 45' m Yeon Sik 66' m Con: Seung Jae (5/9) 15' 25' 27' 40' 72' | Report | Try: Amok 49' m |
* Incheon Namdong Asiad Rugby Field, Incheon Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Jaco De Wit (UAE)
* 8 June 2024 14:00 MST (UTC+8)
| Malaysia | 6–70 | Hong Kong China (1 BP) |
| Pen: Chapman (2/2) 10', 56' Cards: Amizan 17' | Report | Try: Post 7' c Penalty try 17' Altier (2) 20' c, 33' c McNutt 21' c Hrstich (2) 36' c, 57' c Penesa 44' c Scott 67' c Pincott 69' c Con: Altier (7/) 8' 19' 22' 35' 36' 46' 59' Avitabile (2/2) 68' 70' |
* UPM Stadium, Serdang Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Justin Wang (Singapore)
* 9 June 2024 19:30 GST (UTC+04)
| (1 BP) United Arab Emirates | 36–32 | South Korea (2 BP) |
| Try: Semple 10' c Galant 45' m Gavin 50' m Davetawalu 64' c Con: Gavin (2/4) 11', 65' Pen: Gavin (3/3) 3', 34', 60' Drop: Gavin (1/1) 69' | Report | Try: Yong Un 7' c Jong Eun 18' m Jin Kyu 28' m Mun Jeong Ho 36' c Chan Deul 55' m Con: Seung Jae (2/5) 8', 37' Pen: Seung Jae (1/3) 5' |
* The Sevens Stadium, Dubai Attendance: 500 Referee: Matthew Rodden (Hong Kong)
* 21 June 2024 19:30 GST (UTC+04)
| (1 BP) United Arab Emirates | 62–19 | Malaysia |
| Try: Oakeley (2) 2' m, 26' c Barnard 8' c McKee 13' c Vecanua (2) 33' c, 50' m Naisau (3) 40' c, 63' c, 79' m Walsh 75' m Con: Gavin (6/10) 9', 15', 27', 34', 40', 64' Cards: Caldwell 16' Galant 41' | Report | Try: Muzhaimey 17' c Isamil 22' m Preston 46' c Con: Champman (2/3) 18', 47' Cards: Amizan 47' |
* The Sevens Stadium, Dubai Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Morgan White (Hong Kong)
* 22 June 2024 16:30 HKT (UTC+8)
| (1 BP) Hong Kong China | 67–7 | South Korea |
| Try: Hill 3' c van der Smit (3) 23' c, 66' c, 69' c Altier 29' c Sayers 40' c Avitabile 48' m Hrstich 55' c McNutt 79' c Con: Altier (7/8) 4', 24', 31', 40', 56', 67', 70' McNeish (1/1) 80' Cards: Avitabile 53' | Report | Try: Penalty try 53' |
* Hong Kong Football Club Stadium, Hong Kong Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Takehito Namikawa (Japan)

## Round 3 repechage

* 19 April 2025
| Malaysia | v | Sri Lanka |
* Johor Rugby Stadium, Johor Bahru

## Round 3: 2025 Asia Rugby Championship

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Hong Kong China | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Qualifies as Asia 1 |
| 2 | South Korea | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advances to Asia-Africa play-off match |
| 3 | United Arab Emirates | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | Repechage winner | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |

### Matches

* 13 June 2025
| Repechage winner | v | South Korea |
* TBD
* 14 June 2025
| United Arab Emirates | v | Hong Kong China |
* The Sevens Stadium, Dubai
* 21 June 2025
| South Korea | v | United Arab Emirates |
* Incheon Namdong Asiad Rugby Field, Incheon
* 22 June 2025
| Hong Kong China | v | Repechage winner |
* Hong Kong Football Club Stadium, Hong Kong
* 4 July 2025
| Repechage winner | v | United Arab Emirates |
* TBD
* 5 July 2025
| South Korea | v | Hong Kong China |
* Incheon Namdong Asiad Rugby Field, Incheon