Uganda to Host Asia/Africa Play-Off for 2027 Rugby World Cup
Kampala, Uganda — Uganda will host the Asia/Africa play-off match for the 2027 Rugby World Cup on July 26 at the Mandela National Stadium in Kampala. The match will see Namibia face off against the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Namibia, having lost to Zimbabwe in the African qualifiers, now has a second chance to qualify by defeating the UAE in this crucial fixture.
“We are happy the Asia/Africa play-off will also come to Uganda,” said Rugby Africa president Herbert Mensah. “It’s a great opportunity for Uganda to host another major match. We thank the government and the Uganda Rugby Union for making this possible.”
The UAE team arrived in Uganda on Tuesday. A win for them would earn a spot in the World Rugby Repechage Tournament scheduled for November 2025, keeping their hopes alive for the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
The repechage will feature four teams in a round-robin format: the Asia/Africa play-off winner, the fifth-place team from Europe, the third-place team from South America, and the loser of the South America/Pacific play-off.
