Following unprecedented demand across both the 2018 ticket ballot phases and first come first served general sales in 2019, Rugby World Cup 2019 ticket sales will recommence on Saturday 18 May.

First come, first served ticket sales to resume on 18 May with new ticket inventory set to be released across all matches

As with earlier sales phases, tickets for the most popular matches, including the knockout stages and pool matches featuring host nation Japan, New Zealand, Ireland and England remain extremely limited

Fans are encouraged to utilise the availability indicator on the ticketing website to give themselves the best opportunity to secure remaining RWC 2019 tickets

Ticket sales will operate on a first-come-first-served basis, in real-time. Fans finding available tickets for their desired matches should not delay their purchase

Fans are asked to be patient as traffic to the RWC 2019 ticketing website is expected to be extremely high when ticket sales recommence

The Rugby World Cup 2019 Official Resale Service is set to open on 31 May giving fans who can no longer attend matches a secure platform through which to sell tickets they no longer require at face value to genuine fans

Following unprecedented demand across both the 2018 ticket ballot phases and first come, first served general sales in 2019, Rugby World Cup 2019 ticket sales will recommence at 18:00 Japan Standard Time (JST) on Saturday 18 May and run until the end of July 2019 at tickets.rugbyworldcup.com.

While ticket availability will remain extremely tight for the most popular matches, including all knockout stage matches and pool matches featuring the host nation Japan, world champions New Zealand, as well as Ireland and England, new ticket inventory is available across all matches. These tickets will be a mixture of seats released from ongoing venue planning and configuration and handbacks from the tournament's commercial programme and unions.

As Japan gets ready to welcome the world to a truly special, country-wide festival of rugby, the locations of the 16 Rugby World Cup 2019 Fanzones have also been announced. The Fanzones will offer a fantastic environment in which both ticketed and non-ticketed fans can enjoy matches via giant viewing screens and sample local food and beverage, all while enjoying the unique, welcoming and inclusive carnival atmosphere Rugby World Cup is famous for. With 400,000 international rugby fans expected to descend upon Japan and with interest from the Japanese public building every day, Rugby World Cup 2019 Fanzones are expected to be a key focal point of the tournament experience.

Japan Rugby 2019 Organising Committee CEO Akira Shimazu said: “With less than four months before kick-off, Rugby World Cup fever is well and truly taking hold across Japan. Unprecedented demand for tickets both internationally and domestically is pointing to a Rugby World Cup that will be both incredibly vibrant and culturally rich. With 12 match venues, 16 Fanzones and 55 team camps spread across Japan, the tournament will reach millions of people throughout the country, while also bringing rugby fans from across the world to experiences the incredible diversity and unrivalled hospitality of Japan.

“For anybody considering buying tickets for matches that still have availability I urge you not to hesitate for a second. There are still some great tickets available and we want to ensure that we welcome as many foreign fans to Japan as possible for this ground-breaking, once-in-a-lifetime tournament.”

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont added: “Rugby World Cup 2019 has captured the imagination of the Japanese public and rugby fans around the world with record ticket demand and what is likely to be the largest number of inbound fans, which is very exciting to see and will make for a very special atmosphere.

“With less than 130 days to go, Japan 2019 will be a truly incredible Rugby World Cup. It will be a tournament that has fans and teams at heart, celebrates rugby and Japan and will further the reach and growth of the sport across Asia and around the world.”

With traffic to the Rugby World Cup 2019 ticketing site expected to be extremely heavy during the early stages of this next ticket sales window, fans are requested to be patient while waiting to access the site.

Fans are also encouraged to use the real-time ticket availability indicator on the ticketing website to give themselves the best opportunity to secure Rugby World Cup 2019 tickets.

Safe and secure platform

In addition to the next sales phase, fans can also look to purchase tickets via the Rugby World Cup 2019 Official Resale Service. Due to open on 18:00 (JST) on Friday 31 May, the service will give fans a safe and secure platform from which to resell Rugby World Cup 2019 tickets at face value for matches they can no longer attend. Further details will be released ahead of the opening of the resale service at www.rugbyworldcup.com/tickets.

Another option for fans looking to secure match tickets is through the Rugby World Cup 2019 Official Supporter Tour and Hospitality programmes. Ticket-inclusive travel packages provided through RWC 2019 official travel agents are proving extremely popular, with tickets for some of the most popular matches still available. The prestigious Webb Ellis Suite and private hospitality suites are already sold out, however some great match-day hospitality options are still available. Further details can be found via www.rugbyworldcup.com/supportertours and www.rugbyworldcup.com/hospitality.

When purchasing tickets, fans will be able to opt-in and donate to the ChildFund Pass It Back programme. In partnership with World Rugby’s Impact Beyond programme, Pass It Back inspires positive social change through the delivery of an integrated life-skills and non-contact tag rugby curriculum, educating children and young people in areas of leadership, problem-solving, gender equality, conflict resolution and life preparation. For more details visit www.childfundpassitback.org.

With such exceptional demand for tickets, fans are being urged to buy exclusively from official channels to avoid being let down. For more details visit www.rugbyworldcup.com/buy-official.

Mastercard is an official partner and the preferred payment card of Rugby World Cup 2019 and will be offering fans a range of Priceless experiences around RWC 2019.