Rugby World Cup 2023 quarter-finals: Full schedule and how to watch live

The Rugby World Cup 2023 in France is approaching the business end with the eight teams confirmed for the quarter-finals from 14-15 October.

The quarter-finals effectively pit the Northern and Southern Hemispheres against each other with hosts France facing defending champions South Africa.

In the other mouth-watering tie of the last eight, Six Nations Grand Slam winners and world number ones Ireland will lock horns with three-time champions New Zealand.

Pool C winners Wales face Argentina with England taking on Pacific Islanders Fiji in their last-eight meeting.

Only four nations - England, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa - have won the coveted Webb Ellis Cup since the Rugby World Cup's inception in 1987. Shock defeats in the quarter-finals could see a changing of the guard at rugby's showpiece event.

QF1: Wales vs Argentina (Stade de Marseille)

The quarter-final clash between Wales and Argentina is expected to be a nailbiter with the two sides evenly matched. Although Wales came out on top in their previous pool match meetings in 1991 and 1999, Los Pumas should not be underestimated. They finished third in 2007 and fourth in 2015.

Wales are high on confidence after a thumping 40-6 of Australia. They will look to continue their unbeaten run in the tournament and improve on their best result at the World Cup - a third-place finish in the inaugural tournament in 1987.

After going down 27-10 to England in their opener - despite a red card reducing the English to 14 men after just three minutes - Argentina recovered to win their next three games including a must-win final group match against Japan.

Wales won their last Test match 20-13 in Cardiff at the end of 2022 with Argentina winning their previous meeting in 2021.

Ireland vs New Zealand (Stade de France)

Ireland will be looking to back up their world number one ranking when they meet perennial favourites New Zealand in the Stade de France.

The All Blacks won their first World Cup in 1987 before claiming back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2015. But they will have their work cut out against world rugby’s current pace-setters.

Ireland qualified for the quarter-finals in style, topping their pool after a comprehensive 36-14 victory over Scotland extended their winning streak to 17 straight games. The Irish have been in sizzling form over the last year which included a historic first series victory over the All Blacks in New Zealand.

New Zealand have lost their air of invincibility in recent years and lost the opening match of the tournament 27-13 to France. They have since found their groove with runaway victories over Namibia (71-3), Italy (96-17) and Uruguay (73-0).

The All Blacks will be hoping for a repeat of the 2019 World Cup quarter-final when they beat the Irish 46-14 in Tokyo to earn a place in the semi-finals.

England vs Fiji (Stade de Marseille)

Fiji scraped through to the quarter-finals despite suffering a shock defeat to Portugal.

Poor handling dogged the running rugby specialists with the Portuguese putting up a doughty defensive display and scoring two tries to lead 17-10 inside the final quarter.

A converted try from Mesake Doge and two penaltes from Frank Lomani looked to have settled the contest.

But Rodrigo Marta went over in the last minute with Samuel Marques kicking the conversion to make it 24-23 and send the Toulouse crowd into rapture.

That one-point reverse meant Fiji still made it through on points difference at Australia's expense. 

Before that, the Pacific Islanders had been resurgent with wins over the Wallabies and Georgia following a narrow opening defeat to Wales. That victory over two-time champions Australia was their first since 1954 and helped secure a first quarter-final appearance since 2007.

England made it through to the last eight unbeaten despite a close shave against Samoa in their Pool D match.

The 2003 champions had already sealed top spot in Pool D thanks to wins over Argentina, Japan and Chile, but a lacklustre display in their final group game - in which Owen Farrell surpassed Jonny Wilkinson as England's record point-scorer - left questions to answer for Steve Borthwick's men.

Runners-up three times, including in 2019, England will be well aware of their opponents' threat with Fiji's historic 30-22 victory at Twickenham in August's World Cup warm-up fresh in their memories.

France vs South Africa (Stade de France)

Reigning world champions South Africa are a step closer to a record fourth crown but first need to somehow find their way past the rampant hosts.

The Springboks, Rugby World Cup winners in 1995, 2007 and 2019, will meet the French for only the second time in the history of the tournament. Their first encounter in the tournament was in the 1995 where South Africa staved off a strong French challenge in a drenched Durban.

Les Bleus will fancy their chances of finally getting their hands on the Webb Ellis Cup after finishing as runners-up in three Rugby World Cup finals in 1987, 1999, and 2011. Beating South Africa will be no easy feat but they can draw on the energy of the home support at Stade de France.

The French are still sweating over the availability of talismanic scrumhalf and captain Antoine Dupont who underwent surgery after suffering a cheekbone fracture in a clash of heads against Namibia on 21 September. Dupont could make a rapid recovery for the quarters.

The winners of each semi-final fixture will face off in the Rugby World Cup final on Saturday 28 October in the Stade de France with the match kicking off at 21:00 local time (19:00 UTC).

The beaten semi-finalists will meet in the third-place playoff 24 hours previously at the same venue.

How to watch the 2023 Rugby World Cup live

Please check local listings for broadcast schedules in your territories.

Rugby World Cup 2023 will be broadcast live in the following markets:

• Australia - STAN
• Andorra - MOVISTAR+
• Austria: PROSIBEN
• Belgium - TELENET
• Cook Island - Cook Islands Television
• Czechia - Ceska Televize
• Fiji - Fiji TV
• France - France TV, TF1, M6
• Germany - RAN
• Ireland - RTE, VIRGIN
• Italy, San Marino, Vatican - Sky Italia, RAI
• Japan - JSports, NTV, NHK
• Luxembourg - TF1
• Middle East and North Africa - StarzPlay
• Netherlands - ZIGGO
• New Zealand - Sky NZ, STUFF
• Papua New Guinea - Digicel, EMTV
• Portugal - Sport TV
• Samoa - TV1
• Romania - Digisport
• Spain and Andorra - MOVISTAR+
• Solomon Islands - Telekom Television
• South Africa and Sub-Sahara - SuperSport
• Tonga - Digicel, Tonga Broadcasting Commission (TBC)
• Turkey - SSPORT (SARAN)
• United Kingdom - ITV, S4C
• United States of America - NBC
• Vanuatu - Vanuatu Broadcasting & Television Corporation