France is preparing to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup. With 48 matches organised in 10 host cities, the organisers promise 52 days of celebration in a spirit of openness beyond sport.
After the 2007 edition, France will host the Rugby World Cup for the second time in its history in 2023. Highly anticipated by fans of the oval ball, the event promises to appeal far more than just the fans.
52 days of festivities
The 10th World Cup in the history of rugby will take place from the 8th of September to the 28th of October 2023, 200 years after Rugby first came about. This is an opportunity to reconnect with the founding spirit of rugby and celebrate the event during the seven weeks of the competition. The festival will take place throughout France, starting with the 10 host cities where the matches will be held: Lille, Saint-Etienne, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Nantes, Paris and Saint-Denis.
Other cities will have the chance to host the teams qualified for the final phase such as Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, Versailles, Libourne, La Baule-Escoublac, Avignon, Montpellier, Toulon, Tours, Rueil-Malmaison, Ile de Ré and Bourgoin-Jallieu. The opportunity to encourage the players during training sessions is open to the public.
"Let's celebrate all the fraternities".
This is the leitmotiv of the Rugby World Cup 2023. You don't have to play or be a supporter to "Be Rugby". Rugby expresses itself far beyond the field: more than a sport, it is the state of mind of those who share the virtues of self-sacrifice, collective commitment and respect. The Rugby World Cup 2023 wants to carry these values high and invites the 600,000 foreign visitors expected to share them.
Ticketing information
From the 13th of September 2022 at 6pm, single tickets will be available for all 48 matches of the competition, from the opening match to the final. Fans can access the pre-sale by joining the 2023 Family program, whose members will be able to benefit from numerous exclusive advantages around the 2023 Rugby World Cup. For each match, four categories of seats are available:
- Category 1: Side stand seating
- Category 2: ¼ of a corner
- Category 3: Seating behind the posts at half height
- Category 4: Seating behind the posts in the lower or upper part of the stand.
For more information, visit the online ticketing
For a top-of-the-range experience, fans can subscribe to the "Village" offer to enjoy a convivial space around the stadiums (Saint-Denis, Nantes and Toulouse) before or after the matches: local cuisine, entertainment and speeches by a personality from the world of rugby...
For more information, visit the Official Hospitality website.
France 2023 Rugby Tour
From 21 July 2022 and for 114 days, a train-expo will travel through France to launch the festivities one year before the start of the competition. 50 stops in French stations are planned, an opportunity to get on board and live an immersive experience, in virtual reality, and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the 8th of September at the Stade de France, the opening day of the Rugby World Cup 2023. Rugby, the qualified teams and several positive impact initiatives are highlighted (Rugby au Coeur, Campus 2023, Mêlée des Choeurs, XV de la Gastronomie...).
Breaking the codes
Rugby was born in a burst of freedom in November 1823, with the "disruptive" gesture of William Webb Ellis. During a football match, the British student took the ball in his hands to the opposing goal. A desire to "break the codes", a desire to surprise, and a taste for the unexpected which the organisers are taking as a source of inspiration for 2023.
The world's greatest players
An exceptional competition requires exceptional players. The 2023 Rugby World Cup bears the stamp of the greatest players in history: iconic captains (Sean Fitzpatrick, John Eales or Richie McCaw), serial scorers (Jonah Lomu, Bryan Habana, Drew Mitchell, Shane Williams) and fine gunners (Grant Fox, Gavin Hastings, Dan Carter, Sir Jonny Wilkinson). On the French side, Frédéric Michalak and Thierry Dusautoir gave the full measure of the French Flair against the All Blacks in 2007. In 2023, there will be 600 players from five continents divided into 20 teams.
By The editor
The editorial staff of France.fr follows the trends and news of destinations to bring you stories from France that reveal its innovations and traditions that make you long to (re) discover its territories.
