🔗 Share this article Latin American Rugby Union Success Stories Drive Men's Global Tournament Qualifying Campaign As numerous supporters in the UK concentrate on their clubs' season-opening performances or discuss upcoming autumn internationals, the contest for World Cup 2027 qualifying continues at full pace. Chile's Historic Accomplishment Chile earned their second consecutive spot at the tournament with a stunning qualifying win over Samoa recently, leaving only a single remaining spot to be claimed for Australia in two years. Meanwhile, the Paraguayan side surprised Brazil by twenty points in the opening match of their playoff. The return match takes place on Saturday in Jacareí, close to São Paulo, while Brazil's squad aims to follow their women's achievement and qualify for the first occasion. Forthcoming Qualification Showdown Whether Paraguay manages a surprise aggregate win, or Brazil bounces back after manager Emiliano Caffera's departure, the participants for November's Dubai qualification tournament will be confirmed. Namibia, Belgium, and the Samoan side have already secured spots for the Middle Eastern competition from 8-18 November. Worldwide Qualification Developments Several other teams have also earned their spots. Hong Kong China achieved maiden qualification following defeating Korea 70-22 in the summer, while Zimbabwe will return to rugby union's premier tournament for the first occasion in over three decades after winning the African championship. Chile's Rising Profile The knock-on effect of Chile's playoff success means that Los Condores will face Italy for the first time next month during the autumn internationals, taking the place of Samoa who are obligated to compete in the Dubai tournament. World Rugby's chief executive called Chile an "exciting and rapidly rising force" in confirming the forthcoming match in the Italian city. As local the sport promotional efforts seek increased attendance, rugby in Chile is buoyant. A sell-out audience of over 20,000 witnessed the qualifying win in Viña del Mar, and manager the national coach has led the squad on an improving path since his appointment in 2018. Coach's Impressive Career The 50-year-old former Uruguayan forward has been influencing the game for decades: recruited by Bristol in the 1990s, he famously broke through the English defense to score at the 2003 global tournament. His influence as national coach has been similarly powerful: Chile have risen to 17th, their highest-ever position. At the previous tournament in France, they were defeated in all matches, allowing over two hundred points and registering 27, including a 71-0 defeat against the English team. Nevertheless, they confidently found the positives, and following the 2027 draw in Sydney on December 3rd, the coach can begin planning in earnest. They hosted the Scottish team last year, defeated 52-11 in front of 24,000 supporters, and although they were beaten across two legs by Uruguay in the initial qualifying round, they achieved a 21-18 away victory in the Uruguayan capital. The Samoan Qualifying Struggle Samoa, in contrast, have participated in all World Cup since 1991, but are presently languishing in sixteenth place in the global rankings. They were without a victory in the recent regional tournament, leading to qualifying disappointment against Chile, and the requirement to face nations such as Belgium adds additional difficulty for the rugby-loving country. Competition Format Changes Beyond specific teams' performances, it is worth noting how different the expanded tournament will look in 2027. For the first occasion, there will be a knockout stage with six pools of four rather than four pools of five. Group phase jeopardy is significantly reduced because the four best third-place teams will also advance. Hosts and Standings Consequences The hosts, Australia, are now ranked seventh in the world, meaning they would fall short on top seeding and might meet one of South Africa, New Zealand, the Irish, France, the English, or Argentina in Pool A. They may climb into the highest seeds during a packed autumn schedule, however: England, the Italian side, the Irish squad, and the French team are their fixtures, with a match against Japan in the capital additionally planned for October 25th. The Welsh team, meanwhile, are balanced in twelfth place, with Japan behind, and the implications of dropping to 13th and into the third seeding group are potentially significant. Americas Presence and Future Events An additional new dimension for the next World Cup is the participation of five nations from the Americas: Argentina, the Uruguayan side, the United States, the Canadian team, and Chile – with Paraguay or Brazil possibly making it six. From the governing body's perspective, engagement from the Americas is positive, especially with the 2031 tournament set to be hosted by the United States, and the selection process for the 2035 tournament was initiated recently. Immediate Priority First things first, though. The second installment of Brazil versus Paraguay sets up a four-way Dubai shootout, along with a possible standings change across the European nations in the coming month. No matter how things pan out, Chile's successful qualification for a second Rugby World Cup has undoubtedly established them as a resounding success story.