Sydney Spectaculars will not be publishing updates temporarily.
This is unfortunate given the recent announcement of the 125th Commonwealth Naval Force Federation International Fleet Review to be held on March 21.
If we are not back by then, to all, enjoy!
In the meantime, remember moments matter!
An International Fleet Review will be held on Sydney Harbour on Saturday the 21st of March to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Australia’s colonial navies federating into the Commonwealth Naval Forces, which later combined with the British Empire’s Australian Squadron to form the current Royal Australian Navy.
The milestone will celebrate the enduring values that define Australia’s naval service personnel.
The actual anniversary is today, Sunday the 1st of March.
There will be no fireworks display as part of this event, which tend to be reserved for RAN anniversaries or national anniversaries such as Centenaries Of Federation & Bicentenaries’ Of European Settlement. As is often the case with fleet reviews, it is based around a naval exercise, this time being the biannual Exercise Kakadu.
Participants in Exercise Kakadu & thus, the International Fleet Review currently are:
6,000 personnel from the above participants currently will feature in the International Fleet Review on just under 30 ships, with around 17 berthed & anchored in eastern Sydney Harbour. This is currently the largest gathering of international warships on Sydney Harbour since the iconic 2013 edition, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of the 1st entry of RAN ships into Sydney Harbour. 1.5 years ago, a Monarchical Fleet Review was held for the 1st time ever, though with only 5 RAN ships.
With 17 countries currently attending, its international representation equals the 2013 International Fleet Review, though at least 7 warships less are attending so far.
The schedule for the International Fleet Review day is below:
As we mark 125 years of our proud naval history, this is an opportunity to honour the thousands of Australians who have chosen to serve.
Vice-Admiral Mark Hammond, Chief Of Navy, RAN
1.5 million people attended the International Fleet Review in 2013. However, most of the crowd was mainly there for the Spectacular in the evening as fireworks on Sydney Harbour are more popular than fleet reviews since the turn of the Millennium so a significantly smaller crowd is expected than in 2013. However, it should be significantly higher in attendance compared to the 2024 Monarchical Fleet Review except around the Sydney Opera House’s Southern Forecourt, where it should be just as busy as on that occasion, where it reached capacity.
A program booklet is being made for the International Fleet Review. However, it is not yet on sale. Tickets for cruises though are already! (The below list updates):
There are currently no confirmed planned broadcasts of the event.
A fleet review is essentially an inspection of a navy & are rare occasions – occurring roughly once every decade on Sydney Harbour. However, the past 4 naval reviews that went ahead plus the upcoming one were spaced apart with another by about 3 years approximately so having another one so soon after 2024’s Monarchical Fleet Review isn’t exactly rare. All naval reviews bar the inaugural one were held on Sydney Harbour. However, the 1988 one was also held in Melbourne’s Port Phillip Bay, which was where the 1920 inaugural edition was held also as a thank you for the RAN’s effort in World War I.
During a fleet review, the reviewer will be stationed on a ‘flagship’ – the main vessel used to review the fleet. In 2026, the reviewer, highly likely the Governor-General Of Australia, Sam Mostyn, will be stationed on His Majesty’s Australian Ship (HMAS) Leeuwin, an RAN hydrographic surveyor which was last used for the role in 2013. Garden Island is the beginning & end of the flagship’s journey as it is Sydney Harbour’s main naval base. HMAS Leeuwin will then travel around Sydney Harbour to inspect the 17 berthed and anchored naval vessels & for their sailors to salute and give 3 cheers to the reviewer. Mid-way through, sailing naval vessels will parade east (entering Sydney Harbour 20 minutes into the Review) to west past the flagship, accompanied by an RAAF-RAN aerial display & the sailors on board those sailing naval vessels will also salute and give 3 cheers to the reviewer. There will also be a Ceremonial Gun Salute just before HMAS Leeuwin reaches its penultimate ship to review.
Below are the land vantage points for the day of the International Fleet Review with our ratings for each & the best event associated with that vantage point:
Clark and Shark Islands & Fort Denison will be closed on event day.
There is no 100% perfect vantage point. To see everything, you need to travel around.
It is best to catch public transport. Queues are expected at ferry stops so allow plenty of extra ferry travel time & be patient. No round ferry trips are permitted – you must alight at the terminus of the ferry’s journey. Additional Route 324/325 buses (from Walsh Bay Arts Precinct to Robertson Park at Watsons Bay & return) will run every 8 minutes between 11am & 4pm.
The entire Sydney Metro will be closed on event day for trackwork. It will be replaced by buses between Tallawong and Chatswood while trains will replace the Metro at Epping, Sydenham & between Chatswood and Redfern. Hop off/on at Redfern for buses to/from Waterloo.
In the morning, on the Central Coast line, some trains towards Hornsby will be replaced by buses at the stop of Cowan only. All other stops on that line will still have a train stopping as per the usual timetable.
If crowd volumes increase or traffic is too congested, New South Wales (NSW) Police may implement other road closures near vantage points which may impact some bus services in local areas. Ferries may reach capacity & experience delays during the event.
Heading home, trains to Brisbane will terminate at Casino due to trackwork. If you need to go to Brisbane, catch the replacement coach. If you need to go to Kyogle, catch the replacement mini-bus.
If you want to drive, expect heavier traffic approaching vantage points with parking around many of the local vantage points very limited with fees applied so allow extra driving time. Bradley’s Head Road will be closed at the intersection with Athol Wharf Road from 6am to 4pm. NSW Police may implement other road closures near vantage points if crowd volumes increase or traffic is too congested.
Below is a schedule of all boating restrictions with a map being available here or below. All exclusion zones will be marked by yellow buoys & official patrol vessels.
All exclusion zones will be deactivated & the above ‘No stopping, drifting & anchoring’ rule will end the following day on Sunday the 22nd of March at 1pm.
There will be courtesy moorings at the following places (except those who names are italicised) for the day of the International Fleet Review with the number of courtesy moorings (note: plural), our ratings for each location & the best event associated with those places next to each listing:
There is no 100% perfect vantage point. To see everything, you need to travel around where allowed.
The pools have been drawn in Sydney for the Rugby World Cup (RWC) – Australia: Men’s 2027 under the supervision of scrutineers from Binder Dijker Otte. Hosted by former Wallaby (Australian 15s player) & Australian Rugby 7s player, Morgan Turinui, the pool draw was presented by:
Yeah, you know, it’s an absolute privilege to be here for the draw as a proud Australian & a rugby fanatic.
It’s exciting & I think this is the 1st step in the fans getting that appetite for what’s to come.
Alicia Lucas, Pool Draw Presenter & 2016 Olympic gold medallist representing Australia in women’s rugby 7s (now retired)
Australia was already declared to be drawn in Pool A as A2. The draw then went from the Band 4 pot to the Band 1 pot, with teams being drawn into Pool F first & Pool A last. The resulting pools are:
Pool A
Fast Facts:
Pool B
(gasp)
People in the studio when South Africa was drawn into Pool B, meaning New Zealand would go into Pool A.
Fast Facts:
Pool C
Oh, no
At least 1 person in the studio when Argentina was drawn into Pool C, leaving South Africa & New Zealand to go into either Pool A or B.
Fast Facts:
Pool D
Fast Facts:
Pool E
Fast Facts:
Pool F
Fast Facts:
Oh, look, this is, um, just an amazing moment for World Rugby. Uh, this is the 1st time that we’ve ever done this. You know, in previous iterations we couldn’t name the teams that were coming to the tournament at this point but, um, on the basis of having now the 24 teams known & to come to this moment and be able to announce the teams for the fans is the 1st time we’ve ever done it.
Now, leading into early next year, when we can work through the match schedule & then ultimately getting onto late February with the, um, with the pre-sales, it’s such a special moment for rugby in the world & particularly rugby in Australia.
Brett Robinson, current World Rugby Chair & former ‘Wallaby‘
Ah, it’s been great to bring you the re…draw for Rugby World Cup 2027.
Micheal Atkinson, Pool Draw Broadcast Host
I, I think the busiest people in the next 2 weeks is going to be all the tour operators who are going to start to work out where our tour groups are going. Look at England & Wales, those fans hate each other. Ireland & Scotland, the same. All Blacks v Australia. Where are all these matches going to be played so & the Springboks supporters as well so now the tour operators start to work out how we get our groups together? Where are we starting to go & uh, it’s going to be a great Rugby World Cup but a lot can change in the next 2 years as well? Sides can change. Someone like Wales can move themselves up the, the pecking order as well so uh, Pool F: England v Wales & Tonga is going to be a great one.
Tim Horan, 2-time RWC-winning former ‘Wallaby’ including captain
A smartphone application has been released for the tournament on Google Play & the Apple App Store (Australia/Great Britain/United States Of America).
The match schedule will be announced on Tuesday the 3rd of February.
International match use of the ball will be launched next year so players can familiarise themselves with it ahead of the main event.
After the draw, World Rugby chair, Brett Robinson, revealed at a media conference that the Australian Government, as part of RWC funding, will provide AUD$15 million in funding for Pacific-related programs:
We actually, through the relationship with the Australian Government in the World Cup funding, have a $15 million bucket of money already that is going to be pushed into Pacifica-related programs, which is fabulous.
Brett Robinson, current World Rugby Chair & former ‘Wallaby‘
Rugby World Cup (RWC) – Australia: Men’s 2027 has launched its full marketing campaign for the tournament, called Go All Out.
The campaign will be deployed across broadcast, digital & social media channels.
At the centre of the campaign is a film, which continues on from the social media campaign launched earlier this week, which features Aussie humour & cameos from Wallabies’ (Australian team members) Joseph Suaalii, Max Jorgensen & Rob Valetini, among others. It also seems inspired by Australia’s Mad Max film franchise.
Out of a dust storm, a convoy of nation-themed vehicles, including a mechanical wallaby, a giant springbok truck & a soaring Welsh dragon, along with the passionate fans that built them, speeds in pursuit of a meteor, which is the Webb Ellis Cup, delivering the rallying cry: everyone give everything you’ve got & get involved.
Despite only beginning today, the Go All Out campaign is designed to fuel hype ahead of tonight’s pool draw.
This campaign captures the heart, passion & scale of what the Rugby World Cup truly means. There is simply nothing like it. Fans from every corner of the globe will come together to celebrate the game we love & the energy will be electric. Australia is ready to host the biggest Rugby World Cup ever & everyone is invited to Go All Out.
Chris Stanley, RWC – Australia: Men’s 2027 Managing Director
I’ve seen what 1 Englishman with a good boot can do in a Rugby World Cup final. That’s the joy & the pain of this tournament – 1 moment can live with you for decades. Now reuniting with my good mate Jonny for Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 is a full circle moment. A home Rugby World Cup is where legends can be made, with the nation getting behind the Wallabies, hopefully this time, the last kick belongs to someone in gold & trust me, you won’t want to miss that!
1999 Rugby World Cup-winning team member & former ‘Wallaby’, George Gregan
World Rugby & Gilbert have unveiled the ball design for Rugby World Cup (RWC) – Australia: Men’s 2027 just as the seeding bands have been confirmed for the pool draw:
Band 1
Band 2
Band 3
Band 4
An Internet Calendaring & Scheduling Core Object Specification (iCalendar) reminder was also released for the pool draw. You can download it here!
The ball is a size 5 with 9-10 pounds per square inch of pressure & will utilise Smart Ball technology that will deliver unique insights for fans.
The ball embodies the event’s identity with the tournament’s mark & an orange hue inspired by Australia’s sun and earth tones. The design reflects the warmth, energy & spirit of Australia.
Fans will be able to purchase the first balls ahead of December 25th with a wider range of commemorative licensed products launching globally in 2026.
This announcement was made on 2 December.
The RWC – Australia: Men’s 2027 pool draw is at 8pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time (Greenwich Mean Time +11) on Wednesday the 3rd of December while the main tournament will begin on Friday the 1st of October 2027, with its final on Saturday the 13th of November 2027.
Since 1995, Gilbert has been at the heart of our game & once again they have delivered a vibrant and distinctive design for Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia. This ball not only provides the world’s best players with the perfect tool to perform at the highest level but also enhances the experience for fans through cutting-edge technology.
Michel Poussau, World Rugby Chief Revenue Officer
We are excited to grow our partnership with World Rugby & to bring a wonderful official match ball design to rugby fans around the world. Rugby World Cup tournaments are the absolute pinnacle of our sport & always such a wonderful occasion and a fantastic opportunity to bring new and existing fans together and celebrate rugby.
Richard Gray, Gilbert Rugby Commercial Chief Executive Officer
Rugby World Cup (RWC) – Australia: Men’s 2027 has announced that the general ticket pre-sale for the event will begin at 12pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) (Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) +11) on the 18th of February & last 2 weeks, ending on Wednesday the 4th of March at the same time.
Tickets will be available at https://rwc2027.rugbyworldcup.com/ & will be sold on a first come, first serve basis.
To be eligible to enter the general ticket pre-sale, fans must set up, register and activate (via e-mail link) a ticketing account & log in and validate your profile before 12pm AEDT (GMT +11) on Tuesday the 17th of February.
If you have a Superfan Pass, your pre-sale starts on Tuesday the 10th of February at 12pm AEDT (GMT+11) & lasts 6 days, ending on Monday the 16th of February at the same time.
During both pre-sales, tickets will be sold by price category only. Specific seats will be allocated at a later date but tickets purchased separately by different customers (i.e. family & friends) will not be allocated seats together.
Full ticket price categories will be announced at 12pm Tuesday the 10th of February. Child tickets will not be available in all price categories with their availability varying across venues & tournament stages. Round Of 16 adult tickets will start from AUD$50. Assistance dog seating will also be available.
A social media campaign has also begun:
The full marketing campaign will be launched on the 2nd of December.
The pool draw will also be held in Sydney/Gadigal.
This announcement was made on November 26.
The RWC – Australia: Men’s 2027 will begin on Friday the 1st of October 2027 with its final on Saturday the 13th of November 2027.
Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 promises to be the biggest & most electrifying tournament yet. The atmosphere, the rivalries, the national pride – this campaign captures that energy & invites fans everywhere to be a part of it.
The exclusive pre-sale period is your chance to be there when history is made. With unprecedented demand already experienced when Superfan Passes went on sale earlier this year & 1 million tickets priced under AUD$100, we’re encouraging fans to register their interest early, so they don’t miss out.
Chris Stanley, ‘RWC – Australia: Men’s 2027’ Managing Director
Rugby World Cup (RWC) – Australia: Men’s 2027 has published the list of travel agents for the event which includes a travel agent for India for the 1st time ever.
These travel agents are authorised to sell personalised ticket-inclusive travel packages. Over 112,000 tickets have already been pre-ordered by these travel agents.
Chris John, Sports & Tourism Hospitality (STH) Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) said the appointment of travel agents for the event’s Travel Programme marks an important step forward:
Leveraging our long-standing industry partnerships & the trusted expertise of our appointed agents, we look forward to growing the programme even further & delivering world-class, bespoke travel experiences that set a new global standard in Australia.
Chris John, STH Group CEO
STH Group is trading as RWC Experiences (RWCE). RWCE holds the global rights for the event’s travel programme, which they said would involve delivering ‘immersive moments’ for travellers.
Nearly 50 travel agencies from around the world applied to RWCE to be part of the Travel Programme. Following a comprehensive review, RWCE appointed 15 agencies:
If your region is not listed above, travel agents can still apply to be appointed here.
The appointed travel agents will finalise & release their full package offerings after the match schedule is announced in February. However, travel packages will be available for purchase for select matches from January. Fans can also register their interest with their countries’ agencies here now.
This announcement was made on November 20.
The RWC – Australia: Men’s 2027 will begin on Friday the 1st of October 2027 with its final on Saturday the 13th of November 2027.
The appointment of our official travel agents marks another important milestone as we build towards Men’s Rugby World Cup Australia 2027. Coming to Australia for this iconic event will be a trip of a lifetime for many rugby fans & our official travel agents will assist them in making this experience the best it can be – not only to see their teams compete but also to discover Australia’s stunning landscapes, vibrant host cities, culture & heritage.
Chris Stanley, ‘RWC – Australia: Men’s 2027’ Managing Director
Rugby World Cup (RWC) – Australia: Men’s 2027 has announced that 4 rugby icons will present the event’s pool draw at 8pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time (Greenwich Mean Time +11) on Wednesday the 3rd of December.
The 4 rugby icons are:
The pool draw has also been announced to be shown live in Australia on 9Now and Stan Sport & live globally on World Rugby’s YouTube channel.
The pool draw is also no longer being broadcast on Channel 9. Instead, it will be broadcast on its sister multi-channel, 9Gem.
The broadcast will be hosted by former Wallaby & Australian Rugby 7s player, Morgan Turinui. Viewers can expect a comprehensive anticipation-building pre-show. After the pool draw, there will also be an in-depth show unpacking every match-up, pool & storyline that has emerged including live reactions from the Wallabies.
The 24 teams that have qualified were also confirmed in this announcement:
This announcement was made on November 19.
The RWC – Australia: Men’s 2027 will begin on Friday the 1st of October 2027 with its final on Saturday the 13th of November 2027.
With all 24 teams now confirmed for Men’s Rugby World Cup Australia 2027, the draw is an important moment for players, fans & the global rugby community. We’re thrilled to have such a distinguished line-up of legends leading the draw & know their insight, passion and expertise will make this event truly memorable.
Chris Stanley, ‘RWC – Australia: Men’s 2027’ Managing Director
World Rugby has postponed the announcement of the match schedule for the Rugby World Cup (RWC) – Australia: Men’s 2027 by a month to February.
It was originally scheduled for January.
This announcement was made on October 31.
The RWC – Australia: Men’s 2027 will begin on Friday the 1st of October 2027 with its final on Saturday the 13th of November 2027.
World Rugby announced that the Lipovitan D energy drink will be supplied at Rugby World Cup (RWC) – Australia: Men’s 2027.
Lipovitan D is the flagship energy drink of Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Their partnership with the event will involve sharing the excitement & appeal of rugby with their market.
This announcement was made on October 22.
The RWC – Australia: Men’s 2027 will begin on Friday the 1st of October 2027 with its final on Saturday the 13th of November 2027.
We are delighted to extend our long-standing relationship with Lipovitan D as they return for a 3rd Rugby World Cup. Throughout the successful Japan 2019 & France 2023 editions, their support has helped showcase rugby’s values & create lasting impact across tournaments. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to enhancing rugby’s legacy in an exciting new era of rugby. Together, we look forward to inspiring new fans & growing the game through the biggest Men’s Rugby World Cup ever.
Michel Poussau, World Rugby Chief Revenue Officer
We are deeply honoured to participate in Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia as an official supplier, continuing our involvement for the 3rd consecutive men’s tournament since 2019. Continuity is essential in building culture. As a company, we are committed to helping embed the value of rugby in Japan & contributing to the sport’s growing popularity.
Shigeru Uehara, Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd President
Sydney Spectaculars 
You must be logged in to post a comment.