Could the Rugby World Cup expand to 24 teams?

At this stage, I think 20 is good. However, as I think Johnno alluded to, we should consider a plate and bowl, but played at the same venue as the cup. Teams 9-16 play a similar knock out tournament as in the WC 1/4, semi and final. Teams 17-20 just play a semi and final for the bowl. Advantages would see more rugby plus get a preliminary game before the main game. Teams and fans remain longer, but the overall event remains the same time. This makes it a better financial proposition for host nations. Disadvantages would be the additional organisation required. I think a no-brainer but someone may see an issue with it.

I reckon a better format is to have the top 3 in each pool qualify for the next world cup. In relation to the other 8 nations - have them enter a qualifying tournament, but instead of allocating spots for each region, each region has its qualifiers and then enters a mini-tournament and the best 8 nations qualify. This would create a lot more interest, and it would perhaps stop situations like Namibia and Japan qualifying for world cups because they are the best of a bad bunch of qualifiers.

I think expansion to the current format is at least 4 cups away. And when we do need to include more teams I think 24 is an ugly number to run with. Regardless it shouldn't be on the table until future heavyweights like Argentina, Italy, US, Japan, Canada, Russia are up mixing it with the big 5. And other countries like Romania, Georgia, Portugal and Spain are competitive with the next rung down such as the Celtic and PI nations clearing the road for a new wave of minnows like Ukraine, Morrocco, Brazil and China etc. We shouldn't have countries in there that are just serving to make up the numbers. We need a strong pool of weaker nations that are competing for the right to play on Rugby's biggest stage. When we've got 16 countries outside the 20 that we have now let's look at expansion then and go with the fifa model of a 32 team world cup. Until then stick with 20 and maintain and even build the prestige of the RWC spot. However I do like the idea of exposing more nations to top line Rugby competitions. To do this I'd make Tri (4) and six nations comps biannual running in even years and in the odd year between world cups create expanded regional tournaments that include the tier 1 nations. I've previously suggested North Hem and South Hem tournaments that together can involve a larger pool of nations and also serve to give world rugby an excuse to put the current minnows (that are performing so well at this world cup) on the world stage so they aren't just slipping back into the shadows again between World Cups.

They have that now. No one cares or knows about it

A RWC for the minnows would be a good idea, but it has to be in a different country, and probably played before the main cup, maybe even the year before.

Short answer....... No! 20 is it!!!! -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.

Seems everyone is looking at it from the wrong end - do away with auto qualification - which means teams don't have the incentive to put weakened teams up in pool games ... The w/cup pools are starting to be devalued - everyone loves to quote football world cup - but they start with a blank slate - do the same with rugby thereby forcing T1 teams into arranging games against lower tiers .. You'll still get the major nations but those at the lower may also struggle - which has to be good for the game overall

big fan of this. would also introduce some new countries in as we are tending to get the same old teams we've had for years.

Of course. But when would be a good date to expand? It has to expand someday.

Also, i would like 4 team pools be installed because i think it would lead to an easier planning of the matches and maybe more fair in giving days of rest for all the teams. As of now its 5 teams in each pool, and always there will be a team not playing while the other 4 are playing.. Thats one reason i think it causes the bad schedules of the lesser teams.

Certainly they could, but far from convinced they should. Two or three more Cups yet for mine, or a significant change in the structure of international rugby that resulted in four of the five in each pool genuinely contesting the top two spots.

Keep it at 20 for now. Its great seeing the likes of Georgia, Romania, Russia, USA, Canada show their improvement. However the scorelines against Japan and Namibia make me think there is a lot more work to go.

Maybe in 2019 they should look at it. But one way to draw more revenue form tv ratings would be to have a plate world cup ran in the same ocutnry at the same time. Great exposure for the minnows and developing nations. ANd another way the iRB could raise moment and revenue form tv ratings. i am findning unlike the soccer world cup not enough matches played during the week. SO stadiums like eden park remain empty all week or regional stadiums to the little ones. Have th eminnows there in palate world cup like the hong kong sevens so you can get rugby non stop. ANd the minnow nations would the matches to if locals don't so the tv ratings make more money for the rib. in a country like england or japan acocmadaitng an extra 16 teams in hotels works easy as not every team stays in the 1 city the whole time, and countries get knocked out. Have a 16 team plate final running. WOuld love to of watched this week spain v portugal, or chuile v uruaguay, or a brazil v morocco, would of been fun. i find the world cup coz not enough week matches only weekends gets boring and momentum loses it. Tv ratings would be a winner, and you could be finned out about 36 teams ail in 1 while still focusing on the 20 in the 1st division world cup. would be like the hong king sevens a great celebration of rugby, and even more tourists, and even more hotel money for the locals and restraints would love it. Take a chance IRB go for it a plate world cup in the same city running at the same itme as the big one. Play the plate grand final on the saturday night and the big world cup grand final on the sunday night would be great.