Rugby World Cup
International rugby union competition / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Rugby World Cup is a men's rugby union tournament contested every four years between the top international teams.
Current season or competition: 2023 Rugby World Cup | |
 The Webb Ellis Cup is awarded to the winner of the men's Rugby World Cup | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 1987; 36 years ago (1987) |
| Number of teams | 20 (finals) |
| Regions | Worldwide (World Rugby) |
| Holders |  South Africa (2019) |
| Most titles |  New Zealand (3 titles) South Africa (3 titles) |
| Website | rugbyworldcup.com |
 The opening ceremony of the 2019 tournament
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| Tournaments |
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The tournament is administered by World Rugby, the sport's international governing body. The winners are awarded the Webb Ellis Cup, named after William Webb Ellis who, according to a popular legend, invented rugby by picking up the ball during a football game.
The tournament was first held in 1987 and was co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia. Four countries have won the trophy; New Zealand and South Africa three times, Australia twice, and England once. South Africa is the current champion, having defeated England in the final of the 2019 tournament.
Sixteen teams participated in the tournament from 1987 until 1995; since 1999, twenty teams have participated in each tournament. Japan hosted the 2019 Rugby World Cup and France is hosting the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Beginning 2021, the women's equivalent tournament was officially renamed Rugby World Cup to promote equality with the men's game.