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The twenty competitors at Rugby World Cup 2023 represent countries that are both large and small territorially and also in terms of population. Australia and Argentina are the largest territories while Japan comfortably has the largest population. This is a marked change from Rugby World Cup 2019.
Click here to review the Country Sizes by Population from RWC 2019.
Japan was the third most populated participant of the prior Rugby World Cup. The largest was the USA followed by Russia. Neither qualified for Rugby World Cup 2023. In addition, Russia and Canada were the largest by area and neither are involved in France 2023.
RWC 2023 is to be the sixth consecutive tournament under the current model. The 20 teams are divided into four pools of five with competitors coming from from Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, and South America.
Unlike all prior Rugby World Cup tournaments there is no North American country involved in France 2023. Debutants Chile eliminated Canada in the qualifiers while the USA missed out after competing to a draw against Portugal in repechage.
The expansion debate will continue. There have been behind the scenes considerations of a 24-team Rugby World Cup. Among other factors, more teams would increase the viewing audience. This very point is of note considering who is and who is not competing in France 2023.
Had they qualified then the USA would be positioned as the most populated country at the Rugby World Cup 2023. Canada would also be in the top half. Moreover, had eligibility been handled differently by World Rugby then Spain would be involved. Spain, with a population of 47.2 million, would also be in the top half.
The changes from Rugby World Cup 2019 to 2023 see Chile, Romania, and Portugal in with Canada, Russia and the USA out. This is a notable population drop; however, the Chile, Romania and Portugal are all far from being the smallest populations of the twenty at Rugby World Cup 2023. They are 8th, 9th and 10th of the 20 countries involved in the World Cup.
The four ‘Home Unions’ of England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland are not sovereign countries as defined by the United Nations. For rugby the island of Great Britain is divided into three international unions and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland combine to compete as one. Their populations are listed below accordingly.
World Rugby’s definition of the Home Unions means that the populations of Northern Ireland (1.88 million) and the Republic of Ireland (5.323 million) are added together for the following analysis. Combined they give Ireland a total population of 7.2 million.
This also raises the question of how it would be under expansion. If the tournament is expanded to 24 participants for Rugby World Cup 2027 or 2031 then Ireland would be positioned far lower than 11th. The USA would be 1st, Russia 2nd, Spain behind Japan, France, Italy and South Africa but ahead of Argentina. Canada would be between Argentina and Australia. In other words, Australia would fall from 7th now to 11th. Ireland would fall from 11th to 15th.
| # | COUNTRY | POPULATION | COMPARISON TO THE WORLD |
| 1 | Japan | 123.7 million | 11 |
| 2 | France | 68.5 million | 21 |
| 3 | Italy | 61 million | 24 |
| 4 | South Africa | 58 million | 25 |
| 5 | England | 57.44 million* | 27* |
| 6 | Argentina | 46.62 million | 33 |
| 7 | Australia | 26.46 million | 54 |
| 8 | Chile | 18.59 million | 65 |
| 9 | Romania | 18.32 million | 68 |
| 10 | Portugal | 10.22 million | 91 |
| 11 | Ireland | 7.2 million* | 123* (Rep.IRL), 153* (N.IRL) |
| 12 | Scotland | 5.5 million* | 120 |
| 13 | New Zealand | 5.1 million | 125 |
| 14 | Georgia | 4.93 million | 126 |
| 15 | Uruguay | 3.41 million | 132 |
| 16 | Wales | 3.1 million* | 136* |
| 17 | Namibia | 2.77 million | 141 |
| 18 | Fiji | 0.947 million | 163 |
| 19 | Samoa | 0.207 million | 184 |
| 20 | Tonga | 0.105 million | 191 |
* The total population of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 68 million. This makes it the 22nd most populated country in the world. For international rugby purposes the populations are separated into England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales. Northern Ireland’s population is combined to that with the Republic of Ireland.
* Source for Population sizes and comparisons: CIA World Fact Book
