Few sporting events command the global attention of a Rugby World Cup final, and whether you’re planning your calendar around the 2025 women’s final or looking ahead to the 2027 men’s decider, getting the date, time, and TV details right matters. This guide brings together the key facts for both tournaments.

4 related posts

Next Men’s Final: 2027 in Australia ·
Next Women’s Final: 2025 (England vs Canada) ·
Most Titles: South Africa (4) ·
2023 Men’s Final Winner: South Africa

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • South Africa won the 2023 men’s final (World Rugby)
  • 2025 women’s final: 27 September 2025 at Twickenham (Planet Rugby)
  • 2027 men’s final: 13 November 2027 at Stadium Australia, Sydney (World Rugby)
2What’s unclear
  • 2025 women’s final kick-off time – still to be announced (Planet Rugby)
  • 2027 men’s final match-up (depends on semi-finals) (Planet Rugby)
  • 2027 final ticket availability after presale (World Rugby)
3Timeline signal
  • First final: 1987 (New Zealand 29-9 France) (World Rugby)
  • 2023: South Africa 12-11 New Zealand (World Rugby)
  • 2025: Women’s final on 27 September (Planet Rugby)
  • 2027: Men’s final on 13 November (World Rugby)
4What’s next
  • 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup final – England vs Canada, 27 September 2025 (Planet Rugby)
  • 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup final – 13 November 2027, Sydney (World Rugby)
  • Tickets for 2027: presale closed 4 March 2026 (World Rugby)

Five key facts, one pattern: the men’s and women’s finals are now separated by just two years, and both 2025 and 2027 will be staged in major English-speaking rugby nations.

Fact Value
First Final 1987 (New Zealand vs France) (World Rugby)
Most Titles South Africa (4) (World Rugby)
Most Final Appearances New Zealand (5) (World Rugby)
Defending Men’s Champion South Africa (2023) (World Rugby)
Defending Women’s Champion New Zealand (2022)
2025 Women’s Final Date 27 September 2025 (Planet Rugby)
2027 Men’s Final Date 13 November 2027 (World Rugby)
2027 Final Venue Stadium Australia, Sydney (World Rugby)

What time does the rugby final kick off?

Kick-off times for men’s finals

  • 2023 men’s final: 21:00 BST (Stade de France) (World Rugby)
  • 2027 men’s final: 20:00 AEDT (Stadium Australia) (Planet Rugby)

Men’s finals have traditionally kicked off in the evening local time, with the 2027 final scheduled for 20:00 in Sydney (The Independent).

World Rugby has set the 2027 men’s final for 20:00 AEDT — that’s 09:00 GMT for UK viewers, meaning early-morning plans are needed for European audiences.

Kick-off times for women’s finals

  • 2025 women’s final: 16:00 local (London) – confirmed by Planet Rugby

The 2025 women’s final at Twickenham kicks off at 16:00 BST, making it a perfect afternoon slot for European viewers.

The implication: both finals are timed for prime-time television in their host markets, with the 2027 men’s final also suiting early-morning audiences in Europe.

The parallel: each tournament organisers have prioritised local broadcast windows, a pattern that will continue in future editions.

What time is the women’s rugby world cup final?

2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup final kick-off

  • Date: 27 September 2025 (Planet Rugby)
  • Kick-off: 16:00 BST (London) – confirmed
  • Venue: Allianz Stadium, Twickenham

That’s 16:00 in London, 15:00 GMT, 11:00 Eastern, 08:00 Pacific. The kick-off time is set for a Saturday afternoon, maximizing attendance and broadcast reach.

Why this matters

The 16:00 start gives viewers in the UK, Europe, and Africa a prime Saturday afternoon slot, while North American fans catch it in the morning.

The scheduling ensures the women’s final does not overlap with prime-time rugby from the other hemisphere, a deliberate choice by World Rugby.

What date is the rugby world cup final?

Men’s Rugby World Cup final dates

  • 2023: 28 October 2023 (Stade de France)
  • 2027: 13 November 2027 (World Rugby)
  • 2031: Host nation to be confirmed

The men’s final typically falls on the last weekend of October or first weekend of November, depending on the host’s climate.

Women’s Rugby World Cup final dates

  • 2022: 12 November 2022 (New Zealand)
  • 2025: 27 September 2025 (Planet Rugby)
  • 2029: Host nation to be confirmed

The women’s final in 2025 is scheduled for late September, earlier than the typical men’s final window, to take advantage of northern hemisphere autumn weather.

Bottom line: The 2025 women’s final is on 27 September, the 2027 men’s final on 13 November. Mark your calendars now.

The shift to September for the women’s tournament reflects a deliberate effort to avoid clashing with the men’s domestic seasons and to capitalise on optimal weather in the host nation.

Is the rugby final on TV?

TV broadcasters by country

  • UK: ITV (men’s and women’s) – ITV has broadcast rights for both tournaments.
  • USA: NBC/Peacock (men’s), TBD (women’s)
  • Australia: Nine Network / Stan Sport
  • New Zealand: Sky Sport
  • South Africa: SuperSport
  • France: France Télévisions

Major broadcasters secure rights well in advance. For the 2023 men’s final, The Independent reported that ITV’s coverage drew millions of viewers.

How to stream the final

  • Official streaming: RugbyPass (Planet Rugby)
  • Local broadcasters’ streaming platforms (ITVX, Peacock, Stan Sport)

The trade-off: streaming gives flexibility, but check regional restrictions – some broadcasters geo-block the final.

Viewers in Australia and New Zealand can tune in via Stan Sport and Sky Sport respectively, ensuring near-global coverage of both finals.

Who won the 2023 Rugby World Cup final?

2023 final result

  • South Africa 12-11 New Zealand (World Rugby)
  • Venue: Stade de France, Saint-Denis
  • Date: 28 October 2023

The Springboks clinched their fourth title with a one-point victory, the narrowest margin in a men’s final since 2003.

Key moments

  • First half: tries from Siya Kolisi and Mark Tele’a, both unconverted – 6-6 at half-time.
  • Second half: Handré Pollard’s two penalties and a Richie Mo’unga penalty kept the scores tight.
  • Final score: South Africa 12-11 – the second time in a row the Springboks won a final by a single point (2019: 32-12).

South Africa’s victory cemented their status as the most successful men’s nation, with four titles (World Rugby).

The upshot

South Africa’s 12-11 win – the lowest-scoring final in history – proved that defence wins World Cups. For the 2025 and 2027 finals, expect similarly tight contests.

The Springboks’ defensive discipline under pressure sets a benchmark that both England and Canada will aim to emulate in 2025.

History of the Rugby World Cup final

Eight men’s finals have been played since 1987, with four different winners. The women’s tournament has had six finals, with New Zealand and England dominating.

  • 1987: New Zealand 29-9 France (Eden Park) – first final
  • 1991: Australia 12-6 England (Twickenham)
  • 1995: South Africa 15-12 New Zealand (Ellis Park) – extra time
  • 1999: Australia 35-12 France (Millennium Stadium)
  • 2003: England 20-17 Australia (Stadium Australia) – extra time
  • 2007: South Africa 15-6 England (Stade de France)
  • 2011: New Zealand 8-7 France (Eden Park)
  • 2015: New Zealand 34-17 Australia (Twickenham)
  • 2019: South Africa 32-12 England (Yokohama)
  • 2023: South Africa 12-11 New Zealand (Stade de France)

Women’s finals: 1991 (England), 1994 (England), 1998 (New Zealand), 2002 (New Zealand), 2006 (New Zealand), 2010 (New Zealand), 2014 (England), 2017 (New Zealand), 2021 (New Zealand), 2025 (England vs Canada).

The list shows a clear shift: South Africa and New Zealand dominate the men’s side, while England and New Zealand trade titles in the women’s game.

Timeline: key finals at a glance

  • 1987: First final – New Zealand 29-9 France (World Rugby)
  • 1991: Australia 12-6 England
  • 1995: South Africa 15-12 New Zealand (extra time)
  • 2003: England 20-17 Australia (extra time)
  • 2019: South Africa 32-12 England
  • 2023: South Africa 12-11 New Zealand
  • 2025: Women’s final – England vs Canada (27 September) (Planet Rugby)
  • 2027: Men’s final – 13 November, Sydney (World Rugby)

The pattern: men’s finals have been decided by an average margin of 11 points, but three of the last four have been single-score games.

The trend toward closer finals suggests that the 2025 and 2027 deciders will be tight, edge-of-the-seat affairs.

What’s confirmed and what’s still unclear

Confirmed facts

  • 2023 Men’s final winner: South Africa (World Rugby)
  • 2025 Women’s final date: 27 September 2025 (Planet Rugby)
  • 2027 Men’s final date: 13 November 2027 (World Rugby)
  • 2027 Men’s final venue: Stadium Australia, Sydney (World Rugby)

What’s unclear

  • 2025 Women’s final kick-off time – still to be announced (but 16:00 BST reported)
  • 2027 Men’s final match-up – depends on semi-finals
  • 2027 final ticket availability after presale (World Rugby)
  • 2027 women’s final details (host and date TBC)

The remaining unknowns hinge on tournament progression and administrative scheduling, but the core information for planning is now solid.

Related reading: Argentina vs New Zealand Rugby

Additional sources

rugbystuff.com, autumn-internationals.co.uk, thedailyrugby.com, planetrugby.com, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org

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Frequently asked questions

What is the Rugby World Cup final?

The Rugby World Cup final is the championship match of the Rugby World Cup, held every four years for men’s and women’s national teams. It determines the world champion.

How long is the final match?

A standard Rugby World Cup final lasts 80 minutes (two 40-minute halves), plus injury time. If scores are tied, extra time (two 10-minute halves) and then a sudden-death period may be played.

What is the Webb Ellis Cup?

The Webb Ellis Cup is the trophy awarded to the men’s Rugby World Cup champion. It is named after William Webb Ellis, who is credited with inventing rugby. The women’s equivalent is the Women’s Rugby World Cup Trophy.

Which country has hosted the most finals?

England has hosted the most men’s finals (twice: 1991 and 2015, both at Twickenham). For women’s finals, New Zealand has hosted the most (2017, 2021).

What is the largest margin of victory in a final?

The largest margin in a men’s final is 20 points (New Zealand 34-17 Australia in 2015). In women’s finals, New Zealand’s 41-10 win over England in 2017 is the biggest margin.

Can I buy tickets for the final?

Tickets for the 2025 women’s final are available through World Rugby. For the 2027 men’s final, a presale registration period closed on 4 March 2026 (World Rugby). General sale dates are yet to be announced.

For fans planning their travel, the choice is clear: book for the 2025 women’s final in London now, or start saving for Sydney in 2027. Fans now have clear dates to plan around: the 2025 women’s final in London and the 2027 men’s final in Sydney.