If you were to rank the biggest sporting events in the world, then the Rugby Union World Cup Final would have to appear somewhere near the top. The premier event in the international rugby calendar is watched by hundreds of millions, and with SeatPick you can make sure you are there to experience it first hand by buying your Rugby World Cup final tickets now!
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About Rugby World Cup Final Tickets 2025/26
Rugby World Cup History
The Rugby Union World Cup is a hugely popular event, and the interest in tickets is incredibly high, not least because it's an event that only comes around every four years.
Players from the competing nations are playing for the prestigious William Webb Ellis trophy, and the upcoming World Cup France 2023 tournament is the tenth edition of the tournament and promises to be one of the biggest yet.
The first Rugby Union World Cup took place in 1987, with Australia and New Zealand acting as co-hosts, and it proved a roaring success, and the competition has not looked back ever since.
New Zealand ran out winners in the inaugural competition, beating France 29-9 at Eden Park in Auckland.
In 1991 the competition took place across five nations. Once again, the winner originated from the southern hemisphere; this time, Australia came out on top, beating England in the final at Twickenham.
Over the course of the previous nine Rugby World Cup tournaments, a nation from the northern hemisphere has only won once, that came when England beat Australia in perhaps the most famous clash in the competition's history in 2003.
Rugby World Cup Finals - Memorable Matches
The Rugby Union World Cup final hardly ever disappoints when it comes to end-to-end action and thrilling conclusions. Here is a closer look at the three most memorable finales that saw worthy world champions crowned.
2003 - Australia 17-20 England
England were very much the underdogs as they took on an all-mighty Aussie side in their own backyard, and what played out has since become an iconic event in rugby history.
Though the match was not exactly high in quality, it was one of the most exciting and engrossing games ever played.
There were over 82,000 spectators crammed into the Stadium Australia, and a close-fought encounter went into extra time with the match seemingly heading to a penalty shoot-out; hooker Jonny Wilkinson scored a drop goal from 30 metres out with just 28 seconds left on the clock to send the travelling England fans into delirium.
2011 - France 7-8 New Zealand
This game was the epitome of a war of attrition. A game low on quality rugby and high on guts, determination and fight.
What is perhaps even more infamous about this hard-fought clash was the fact that France decided to face down the All Blacks during the Haka.
Tony Woodcock scored an early try for the Kiwis, and Thierry Dusautoir responded with one for France early in the second half.
Ultimately, the difference came in the form of a Stephen Donald penalty.
1995 - South Africa 15-12 New Zealand
In the end, this Rugby World Cup final proved to be about far more than a sporting spectacle. Set against the backdrop of a country in a post-apartheid period and with Nelson Mandela on hand to present Springboks captain Francois Pienaar the trophy, this extra-time win for the hosting nation was a historic occasion for all the right reasons.
Rugby World Cup - How Does It Work?
The Rugby World Cup format has evolved over the years, but the current setup is as follows.
Twenty national teams are split into four pools. The teams who finish in the top two berths of their pool qualify for the quarter-finals, and the eight teams then battle it out for a place in the semi-finals, with the final being between the remaining two teams while a bronze final takes place between the losing semi-finalists.