Forty-four teams competed in 95 matches for 12 places, in a two-year lead-up to Australia 2027, regional qualifiers plus automatic qualifiers and notable participants included South Africa, Dubai hosted the climactic Final Qualification Tournament to crown the final team, Dubai determined the 24th nation to reach the World Cup, Belgium, Brazil, Namibia, and Samoa progressed earlier in the process to the final stages, with 23 teams locked in for the World Cup in Australia, the final berth was decided in Dubai’s November window, final field features traditional rugby powerhouses and emerging teams