Draw for the 2023 Rugby World Cup

Rugby Union - 2023 Rugby World Cup Draw - Palais Brongniart, Paris, France - December 14, 2020 The final draw results are pictured during the draw REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

The 2023 Rugby World Cup will be contested by 20 teams, 12 of which have qualified by finishing in the top three places of their 2019 pool.

These 12 teams are: South Africa, New Zealand, England, Wales, Ireland, France, Australia, Japan, Scotland, Argentina, Fiji and Italy. These teams are seeded based on the men's ranking as of Jan. 1, 2020 and placed into the first three bands.

Eight teams will come through the regional qualification process and are allocated into bands four and five.

Rugby Union - 2023 Rugby World Cup Draw - Palais Brongniart, Paris, France - December 14, 2020 General view ahead of the draw World Rugby/Handout via REUTERS

Band 4 - Oceania 1, Americas 1, Europe 1, Asia/Pacific 1

Band 5 - Africa 1, Europe 2, Americas 2, Final Qualifier Winner

Following is the pool stage draw for the 2023 tournament:

Rugby Union - 2023 Rugby World Cup Draw - Palais Brongniart, Paris, France - December 14, 2020 The Webb Ellis Cup is pictured ahead of the draw World Rugby/Handout via REUTERS

POOL A

New Zealand

Rugby Union - 2023 Rugby World Cup Draw - Palais Brongniart, Paris, France - December 14, 2020 France general manager Raphael Ibanez poses on the red carpet ahead of the draw REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

France

Italy

Americas 1

Africa 1

POOL B

South Africa

Ireland

Scotland

Asia/Pacific 1

Europe 2

POOL C

Wales

Australia

Fiji

Europe 1

Final Qualifier Winner

POOL D

England

Japan

Argentina

Oceania 1

Americas 2

(Compiled by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)