Rugby World Cup: the ninth edition hosted in Japan from 20/09 to 02/11/2019

The 2019 Rugby World Cup, played in Japan from 20/09 to 02/11/2019, begins with the Japan - Russia match, on Friday 20/09/2019 (kick-off at 12:45 CET). The 20 teams competing for the Webb Ellis Trophy, led by defending champions New Zealand, are split into four pools of five teams.

"There is every reason to hope that this World Cup will be spectacular and that it will be one of the most beautiful. Japan has asserted itself in all respects as an exceptional host country, welcoming with open arms the best players on the planet and 400,000 fans from around the world," says Bill Beaumont, chairman of World Rugby, on 17/09/2019, while the latest polls indicate that "100.8 million people in Japan (total population of about 125 million people) are aware that their country hosts the competition, and 96% of the tickets have already been sold," added World Rugby.

This ninth edition of the competition, the first to be held in Asia, will be broadcast by 30 broadcasters around the world, which will provide content "to more than 800 million homes in 217 territories, exceeding the record of 683…