Whether you’re a diehard fan of seeing serious scrummaging and terrific tries or just curious about glimpsing some great sporting action up close, it’s worth putting the Rugby World Cup 2023 dates in your diary!
This landmark event is fast approaching and will be taking place all over France from Friday the 8th of September to Saturday the 28th of October. So if you’re thinking about timing a trip to line up with this amazing spectacle, we’ve got a full guide to all the incredible world cup locations that fans will be enjoying later this year.
With our handy France Rugby World Cup 2023 venue map, you can learn more about the best local attractions that you might want to check out and start planning your sporting adventure with P&O Ferries. Travelling from Dover to Calais by car is one of the easiest ways to get to France so find out what you’ll see near the best RWC 2023 venues now.
Saint Denis Stadium
Thinking of driving to France and landing at Calais? Well on arrival, you’re just a three-hour drive from one of the most iconic cities in Europe – Paris! You might be wondering which Parisian rugby stadium will be playing host to matches during this landmark tournament – the Stade de France, one of the largest stadiums in the world; this Parisian stadium’s capacity is a staggering 80,000.
You may see this venue called either Saint Denis Stadium or the Stade de France. This is because it is located in the Saint-Denis commune in the north of Paris. If you’re wondering who plays at the Stade de France, it’s the designated ground for France’s international rugby and football teams. It’s also one of just two stadiums that have hosted a world cup final in both sports – the other being Nissan Stadium in Yokohama.
Remember to explore our guide to the cheapest pints near the Stade de France to soak up some classic Parisian atmosphere before you reach this rugby landmark!
Stade de Bordeaux
Our next stop serves as the ground for Bordeaux’s football club which plays regularly in Ligue 1 throughout the year. Of course this year it will welcome rugby lovers from around the globe and its 42,071 attendance for a rugby league game in 2019 remains its record capacity.
Bordeaux’s stadium also hosted matches during the Euro 2016 football tournament and this year Fiji, Ireland, South Africa, Wales and Samoa will be kicking off their 2023 Rugby World Cup Group games here.
While exploring this World Cup location, we suggest making the most of some of the best things to do in Bordeaux like sampling some vintage wines, cycling through vineyards and exploring the city nicknamed Little Paris!
Stade Vélodrome
As you might guess from its name, the Marseille Velodrome was used originally for cycling competitions but with rugby and football’s rising popularity, it adapted to the times. Today you can visit a stadium with heritage in hosting Rugby World Cup fixtures, as it saw two quarter-finals hosted here in 2007.
This historic French stadium was also a host venue for the 1938 and 1998 FIFA World Cup competitions and it can hold over 67,000 spectators! This year, the Stade de Marseille will see England, France and Argentina in action so if you’re planning on following these nations, you may want to drive to Marseille. From Calais, this journey is around a day’s drive via the A26 and A7.
OL Stadium
For the Rugby World Cup in 2023, the third-largest stadium in France will play a major role in this international tournament. Some of the biggest countries in the competition will be kicking off here with France, Wales, Australia, Uruguay, Italy and New Zealand all in action in Lyon city!
Lyon’s rugby stadium is also the home of Olympique Lyonnais football club and can hold over 59,000 spectators at full capacity. It’s also an incredibly versatile part of Lyon city as it has recently hosted an array of ice hockey matches, concerts and sporting events.
Stade Pierre Mauroy
The next amazing Rugby World Cup 2023 location has a fully retractable roof, making it perfect for catching a sporting event in any weather. This feature has helped it to host big basketball events as well as the key part that it will play in the Rugby World Cup.
Anyone following the England RWC 2023 campaign will be stopping off here in the group games and the Lille stadium’s capacity of over 50,000 means it is more than ready to welcome massive crowds. You might also be interested to know that Pierre Mauroy stadium is named after a former Mayor of Lille and Prime Minister of France.
While you’re in town, be sure to explore some of the most memorable things to do in Lille – from baroque buildings to amazing art, there’s plenty to see here!
Stade de Toulouse
Stadium de Toulouse was originally constructed as a FIFA World Cup 1938 host venue and has been renovated three times since then! France’s rugby squad first played here in 1963 and in 2007 the stadium played host to four Rugby World Cup matches. This venue has a capacity of 33,150 and is one of France’s oldest major stadiums.
To drive to Toulouse, you can expect around a day’s journey from Calais via the A20. To find out how to reach all of the UK teams’ matches throughout the tournament, check out our guide to the 2023 Rugby World Cup by Car!
Stade de la Beaujoire
The next host venue in France for 2023 is Stade de la Beaujoire with a capacity of 35,520. When it’s not hosting international tournaments, this destination is FC Nantes stadium and the ground was officially opened back in 1984.
For the 2023 RWC, Japan, Argentina, Wales, Georgia, Ireland, Tonga and Chile will all be making a trip here so make a note of the location if you’re following any of these nations!
Stade de Nice
Nice stadium is a 35,000-capacity arena that has hosted huge concerts in recent years from the likes of Beyoncé and Jay-Z. Of course, in 2023, this amazing location will be a celebration of all things rugby – the teams ready to play here include Wales, England, Japan, Italy and Scotland.
If you’re planning on driving to France from the UK then it’s worth knowing that getting to Nice from Calais takes around a day’s driving. Once you arrive you can soak up all the south of France has to offer!
Stade Geoffroy Guichard
Our final destination is the oldest venue to be selected as a host for RWC 2023 matches as it first welcomed spectators in 1931. Despite this, it can hold an impressive 42,152 spectators thanks to its multiple renovations since opening.
This multi-purpose stadium in St Etienne in France is ready for the wave of visitors that will travel here from across the globe. So why not plan your Dover to Calais ferry crossing today to be one of the lucky fans going to Geoffroy Stadium?
