When does the 2019 Rugby World Cup start?

The opening match of the 2019 Rugby World Cup kicks off on Friday, September 20 as nations from all across the globe compete for the William Webb Ellis Trophy in Japan.

The opening stage of the competition sees 20 teams attempt to battle their way out of four Pools - A, B, C and D. Each Pool contains five teams and only two can advance into the knockout rounds.

England's Pool is particularly tricky having been drawn in C with Argentina and France. It means one of rugby's 'big fish' will suffer the ignominy of going home early.

Rugby World Cup fixtures

Pool A 

IRELAND, SCOTLAND, JAPAN, RUSSIA, SAMOA

Match 1

Japan vs Russia... Tokyo Stadium... Friday, September 20... 11.45am BST... (ITV)

Match 2

Ireland vs Scotland... International Stadium Yokohama... Sunday, September 22... 8.45am BST... (ITV)

Match 3

Russia vs Samoa... Kumagaya Rugby Stadium... Tuesday, September 24... 11.15am BST... (ITV)

Match 4

Japan vs Ireland... Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa... Saturday, September 28... 8.15am BST... (ITV)

Match 5

Scotland vs Samoa... Kobe Misaki Stadium... Monday, September 30... 11.15am BST... (ITV)

Match 6

Ireland vs Russia... Kobe Misaki Stadium... Thursday, October 3... 11.15am BST... (ITV)

Match 7

Japan vs Samoa... City of Toyota Stadium... Saturday, October 5... 11.30am BST... (ITV)

Match 8

Scotland vs Russia... Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa... Wednesday, October 9... 8.15am BST... (ITV)

Match 9

Ireland vs Samoa... Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium... Saturday, October 12... 11.45am BST... (ITV)

Match 10

Japan vs Scotland... International Stadium Yokohama... Sunday, October 13... 11.45am BST... (ITV)

 

Pool B 

N ZEALAND, S AFRICA, ITALY, NAMIBIA, CANADA

Match 1

New Zealand vs South Africa... International Stadium Yokohama... Saturday, September 21... 10.45am BST... (ITV)

Match 2

Italy vs Namibia... Hanazono Rugby Stadium... Sunday, September 22... 6.15am BST... (ITV)

Match 3

Italy vs Canada... Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium... Thursday, September 26... 8.45am BST... (ITV)

Match 4

South Africa vs Namibia... City of Toyota Stadium... Saturday, September 28... 10.45am BST... (ITV)

Match 5

New Zealand vs Canada... Oita Stadium... Wednesday, October 2... 11.15am BST... (ITV)

Match 6

South Africa vs Italy... Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa... Friday, October 4... 10.45am BST... (ITV)

Match 7

New Zealand vs Namibia... Tokyo Stadium... Sunday, October 6... 5.45am BST... (ITV)

Match 8

South Africa vs Canada... Kobe Misaki Stadium... Tuesday, October 8... 11.15am BST... (ITV)

Match 9

New Zealand vs Italy... City of Toyota Stadium... Saturday, October 12... 5.45am BST... (ITV)

Match 10

Namibia vs Canada... Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium... Sunday, October 13... 4.15am BST... (ITV)

 

Pool C 

ENGLAND, FRANCE, ARGENTINA, USA, TONGA

Match 1

France vs Argentina... Tokyo Stadium... Saturday, September 21... 8.15am BST... (ITV)

Match 2

England vs Tonga... Sapporo Dome... Sunday, September 22... 11.15am BST... (ITV)

Match 3

England vs USA... Kobe Misaki Stadium... Thursday, September 26... 11.45am BST... (ITV)

Match 4

Argentina vs Tonga... Hanazono Rugby Stadium... Saturday, September 28... 5.45am BST... (ITV)

Match 5

France vs USA... Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium... Wednesday, October 2... 8.45am BST... (ITV)

Match 6

England vs Argentina... Tokyo Stadium... Saturday, October 5... 9am BST... (ITV)

Match 7

France vs Tonga... Kumamoto Stadium... Sunday, October 6... 8.45am BST... (ITV)

Match 8

Argentina vs USA... Kumagaya Rugby Stadium... Wednesday, October 9... 5.45am BST... (ITV)

Match 9

England vs France... International Stadium Yokohama... Saturday, October 12... 9.15am BST... (ITV)

Match 10

USA vs Tonga... Hanazono Rugby Stadium... Sunday, October 13... 6.45am BST... (ITV)

 

Pool D 

AUSTRALIA, WALES, GEORGIA, FIJI, URUGUAY

Match 1

Australia vs Fiji... Sapporo Dome... Saturday, September 21... 5.45am BST... (ITV)

Match 2

Wales vs Georgia... City of Toyota Stadium... Monday, September 23... 11.15am BST... (ITV)

Match 3

Fiji vs Uruguay... Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium... Wednesday, September 25... 6.15am BST... (ITV)

Match 4

Georgia vs Uruguay... Kumagaya Rugby Stadium... Sunday, September 29... 6.15am BST... (ITV)

Match 5

Australia vs Wales... Tokyo Stadium... Sunday, September 29... 8.45am BST... (ITV)

Match 6

Georgia vs Fiji... Hanazono Rugby Stadium... Thursday, October 3... 6.15am BST... (ITV)

Match 7

Australia vs Uruguay... Oita Stadium... Saturday, October 5... 6.15am BST... (ITV)

Match 8

Wales vs Fiji... Oita Stadium... Wednesday, October 9... 10.45am BST... (ITV)

Match 9

Australia vs Georgia... Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa... Friday, October 11... 11.15am BST... (ITV)

Match 10

Wales vs Uruguay... Kumamoto Stadium... Sunday, October 13... 9.15am BST... (ITV)

When is the final?

The Quarter-Finals are on October 19-20.

The Semi-Finals are on October 26-27.

The Bronze Final is on November 1.

The Final is on November 2.