🔗 Share this article Latin American Rugby Union Triumphs Fuel Men's World Cup Qualifying Campaign As numerous supporters in the UK concentrate on club early-season fortunes or debate forthcoming fall test matches, the battle for World Cup 2027 qualification continues at full pace. Chile's Remarkable Achievement Chile earned their second consecutive appearance at the tournament with a stunning playoff victory over Samoa last month, leaving one remaining spot up for grabs for the host nation in two years. Meanwhile, Paraguay surprised Brazil 39-19 in the opening match of their playoff. The return match is scheduled this Saturday in the Brazilian city, near São Paulo, while Brazil's squad attempts to follow the women's achievement and qualify for the first time. Upcoming Qualifying Clash Regardless of Paraguay completes a shock overall win, or Brazil bounces back following manager their coach's recent dismissal, the participants for November's qualifying event in Dubai will then be finalized. The Namibian team, the Belgian squad, and Samoa have already secured spots for the Dubai-based competition from 8-18 November. Global Qualification Developments Several additional teams have also secured their places. Hong Kong China achieved first-time qualification after beating Korea by a large margin in the summer, while the Zimbabwean squad will return to rugby union's most prestigious stage for the first occasion since 1991 after claiming victory in the African championship. Chile's Growing Reputation The consequence of Chile's playoff success means that Los Condores will play against Italy for the first time next month during the fall test series, taking the place of Samoa who must compete in the Dubai tournament. World Rugby's CEO called Chile an "exciting and rapidly rising power" in announcing the forthcoming fixture in the Italian city. As local rugby markets seek larger crowds, rugby in Chile is thriving. A sell-out audience of more than twenty thousand saw the qualifying win in Viña del Mar, and manager Pablo Lemoine has guided the team on an improving path since his appointment in recent years. Manager's Notable Legacy The 50-year-old former Uruguayan forward has been influencing the game for many years: signed by Bristol in the late 90s, he memorably broke through England defensive line to score at the 2003 Rugby World Cup. His influence as national coach has been similarly powerful: Chile have risen to 17th, their highest-ever ranking. During the previous World Cup in France, they were beaten in all matches, conceding over two hundred points and registering 27, featuring a 71-0 loss to the English team. However, they proudly found the positives, and after the tournament draw in Australia on 3 December, Lemoine can begin planning in earnest. They hosted Scotland previously, defeated 52-11 in front of 24,000 fans, and although they were beaten over two legs by the Uruguayan side in the initial qualifying round, they achieved a 21-18 win on the road in the Uruguayan capital. The Samoan Qualification Challenge Samoa, in contrast, have not missed all World Cup since 1991, but are currently sitting in 16th position in the men's rankings. They were without a victory in this year's Pacific Nations Cup, leading to qualifying disappointment against Chile, and the requirement to face teams like Belgium adds further challenge for the proud rugby nation. Competition Structural Updates Apart from individual nations' performances, it is important to consider how different the expanded tournament will appear in the next edition. For the first occasion, there will be a knockout stage with six pools of four teams rather than four pools of five teams. Pool-stage risk is much lower because the four best third-place teams will also advance. Host Nation and Rankings Implications The organizers, Australia, are now ranked seventh in the world, which means they would fall short on top seeding and might face one of the Springboks, the All Blacks, Ireland, France, the English, or the Pumas in their group. They could rise into the top six during a busy November, however: England, Italy, the Irish squad, and France are their fixtures, with a game versus the Japanese team in the capital also scheduled for October 25th. Wales, meanwhile, are balanced in 12th, with the Japanese side behind, and the implications of falling to thirteenth and into pot three are possibly significant. American Presence and Future Tournaments An additional fresh aspect for the next World Cup is the presence of five teams from the Americas: the Argentine team, the Uruguayan side, the United States, Canada, and the Chilean squad – with either Paraguay or Brazil possibly making it six. From the governing body's perspective, engagement from the Americas is beneficial, particularly with the 2031 World Cup set to be hosted by the United States, and the host selection for the 2035 tournament was launched last month. Current Priority For now, however. The second installment of Brazil versus Paraguay prepares a four-team Dubai shootout, along with a potential rankings shake-up throughout Europe in November. No matter the outcome, Chile's qualification for a second consecutive World Cup has undoubtedly made them as a clear success story.