The great sports event of 2023
The Rugby World Cup in a few key figures :
- 9 host cities hosting 48 tournament matches
- 1 billion television viewers targeted and 600,000 foreign visitors to France expected
- 5 matches at the Bordeaux Stadium and 210,000 international spectators expected
Teams present in Bordeaux:
🏉 South Africa, one of the world rugby giants. The Springboks have won 3 world titles in 7 participations. South Africa is the most titled nation along with New Zealand. Nouvelle-Aquitaine will get to welcome them!
🏉 Ireland (the shamrock fifteen) and Wales (the leek fifteen), formidable opponents and in particular during the 6 nations tournament. Wales have won 4 of the last 10 editions and the Irish are not to be outdone with 3 successes.
🏉 Nations from Oceania, less renowned than the All Blacks, yet with a significant success record and their very own Haka: Fiji and Samoa who have participated in 8 of the 9 previous editions. Worth mentioning: 20 players from the Fiji team play for professional clubs in Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
🏉 Two European nations, Georgia and Romania, emerged victorious from the European qualifying tournament. For Georgia, it is the 6th consecutive participation in the competition, the Lelos are the major nation of the 2nd European rugby division. The Romanian team, nicknamed "the Oaks", will be celebrating its 9th participation in 10 editions, having only missed the 2019 edition in Japan.
One nation from America remains to be determined: either the United States or Chile.
Both countries will play for their qualification in July 2022.
Extra information
The "rugby fest" will also be present in other destinations in Nouvelle- Aquitaine, as three national teams will have their base camp in the region.
Fiji have already chosen the town of Libourne, Gironde as their base camp. Georgia has chosen Ile de Ré - La Rochelle. Romania’s base camp will be in Lormont.
Rugby village in Bordeaux
A fully secured Rugby Village with a capacity of 10,000 seats will be set up at the Saint-Michel sports park (Saint-Michel stop on tramways C and D), in the heart of Bordeaux.
Access to this festive venue will be free and open to all (supporters and residents), every weekend, on days when the French team is playing and for all the matches of the final phase.
41 matches out of the 48 of the competition will be broadcast on a giant screen!
The Pro D2 matches continue during the World Cup!
From September to May, watch the Top 14 and Pro D2 matches of our professional teams: Bordeaux-Bègles, Biarritz, Brive, La Rochelle (2022 European champion), Pau, Agen, Bayonne, Mont-de-Marsan, Soyaux-Angoulême.
What about Nouvelle-Aquitaine?
Nouvelle-Aquitaine is a land of rugby with its many professional and amateur clubs, its Rugby Tatoo Family Museum in Bayonne or even its regional expressions such as "la chistera". Nouvelle-Aquitaine boasts many nature sites: the Pyrenees, the Atlantic Ocean, forests, lakes, rivers and plateaux... Its kaleidoscope of sceneries invites you to indulge in many other activities.: golf, surfing, canoeing, paddling, skiing, cycling, trails, hiking…
Why not make the most of the Rugby World Cup to discover our 14 destinations?
Nouvelle-Aquitaine boasts 14 destinations with a host of tourist sites and leisure activities.
Click to discover the 14 tourist destinations of Nouvelle-Aquitaine:
Don’t miss the Cité du Vin in Bordeaux, the Futuroscope in Poitiers or the Lascaux caves in the Dordogne Valley.
Nouvelle-Aquitaine’s gastronomy is world-famous: duck specialities from the South-West, Marennes or Arcachon Bay oysters, Bayonne ham, Bordeaux canelés and, of course wine with many renowned wine appellations: Médoc, Saint-Emilion, Monbazillac, etc.
Surfing, rugby, Basque pelota, marathon-running, sailing… Nouvelle-Aquitaine is heaven for sports lovers as Melissa has found out! There's literally something for everyone... For the least adventurous, follow her to the stadium to watch a Néo-Aquitaine Derby football competition. For the others, hold on tight! Parachute jumping, kayaking, on a surfboard or simply in your running shoes, get ready for strong sensations!