The 10th Rugby World Cup kicks off on Friday, 8 September with hosts France facing New Zealand in Paris.

You can follow live commentary of all 48 matches across BBC Radio 5 Live, Sports Extra, BBC Sounds, the BBC Sport website and the BBC Sport app.

There will also be live text commentary, live scores and reports of all the games on the BBC Sport website.

The Rugby Union Weekly podcast will be available to download daily from Monday and will have all the news, debate and big issues from France.

The new Rugby Union Top 10 podcast series debating different aspects of the tournament's history has also launched on BBC Sounds.

BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Radio Foyle will produce bespoke output for their teams.

When do the British and Irish teams play?

England start their World Cup campaign against Argentina on 9 September, the same day Ireland face Romania.

Scotland meet reigning champions South Africa on the following day, with Wales also playing Fiji.

Who are the defending champions?

South Africa won the last World Cup held in Japan in 2019, beating England 32-12 in the final in Yokohama.

Who are the favourites this year?

Ireland are the world's number one ranked team followed closely by South Africa, France and New Zealand. Scotland are fifth, ahead of Argentina, while Fiji are seventh following last month's historic win over England at Twickenham.

England are a lowly eighth, just ahead of Australia, while Wales are 10th.

Chile, the only tournament debutants, are the lowest-ranked team at 22nd.

What pools are England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland in?

Tournament rules

Teams receive four points for a win and two for a draw.

A bonus point is awarded for scoring four tries or for a defeat by seven points or fewer.

The winner and runner-up in each pool qualify for the quarter-finals. If two teams are tied on the same number of points, the winner of the match between those teams will go through.

If teams are tied at full time in the knockout stages, then the winner shall be determined through extra time, then sudden death if there's still no winner and finally a kicking competition if the scores are still tied.

World Cup fixture list

All times are BST unless stated and are subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made. Coverage is only available for UK users

Friday, 8 September

Pool A: France v New Zealand (Stade de France), 20:15

Saturday, 9 September

Pool A: Italy v Namibia (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard), 12:00

Pool B: Ireland v Romania (Stade de Bordeaux), 14:30

Pool C: Australia v Georgia (Stade de France), 17:00

Pool D: England v Argentina (Stade de Marseille), 20:00

Sunday, 10 September

Pool D: Japan v Chile (Stade de Toulouse), 12:00

Pool B: South Africa v Scotland (Stade de Marseille), 16.45

Pool C: Wales v Fiji (Stade de Bordeaux), 20:00

Thursday, 14 September

Pool A: France v Uruguay (Stade Pierre-Mauroy), 20:00

Friday, 15 September

Pool A: New Zealand v Namibia (Stadium de Toulouse), 20:00

Saturday, 16 September

Pool D: Samoa v Chile (Stade de Bordeaux), 14:00

Pool C: Wales v Portugal (Stade de Nice), 16:45

Pool D: Ireland v Tonga (Stade de la Beaujoire), 20:00

Sunday, 17 September

Pool B: South Africa v Romania (Stade de Bordeaux), 14:00

Pool C: Australia v Fiji (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard), 16:45

Pool D: England v Japan (Stade de Nice), 20:00

Wednesday, 20September

Pool A: Italy v Uruguay (Stade de Nice), 16:45

Thursday, 21 September

Pool A: France v Namibia (Stade de Marseille), 20:00

Friday, 22 September

Pool D: Argentina v Samoa (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard), 16:45pm

Saturday, 23 September

Pool C: Georgia v Portugal (Stadium de Toulouse), 13:00

Pool D: England v Chile (Stade Pierre-Mauroy), 16:45

Pool B: South Africa v Ireland (Stade de France), 20:00

Sunday, 24 September

Pool B: Scotland v Tonga (Stade de Nice), 16:45

Pool C: Wales v Australia (OL Stadium), 20:00

Wednesday, 27 September

Pool A: Uruguay v Namibia (OL Stadium), 16:45

Thursday, 28 September

Pool D: Japan v Samoa (Stade de Toulouse), 20:00

Friday, 29 September

Pool A: New Zealand v Italy (OL Stadium), 20:00

Saturday, 30 September

Pool D: Argentina v Chile (Stade de la Beaujoire), 14:00

Pool C: Fiji v Georgia (Stade de Bordeaux), 16:45

Pool B: Scotland v Romania (Stade Pierre-Mauroy), 20:00

Sunday, 1 October

Pool C: Australia v Portugal (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard), 16:45

Pool B: South Africa v Tonga (Stade de Marseille), 20:00

Thursday, 5 October

Pool A: New Zealand v Uruguay (OL Stadium), 20:00

Friday, 6 October

Pool A: France v Italy (OL Stadium), 20:00

Saturday, 7 October

Pool C: Wales v Georgia (Stade de la Beaujoire), 14:00

Pool D: England v Samoa (Stade Pierre-Mauroy), 16:45

Pool B: Ireland v Scotland (Stade de France), 20:00

Sunday, 8 October

Pool D: Japan v Argentina (Stade de la Beaujoire), 12:00

Pool B: Tonga v Romania (Stade Pierre-Mauroy), 16:45

Pool C: Fiji v Portugal (Stade de Toulouse), 20:00

Knock-out fixtures

Saturday, 14 October

Quarter-final 1: Winner Pool C v runner-up Pool D (Stade de Marseille), 16:00

Quarter-final 2: Winner Pool B v runner-up Pool A (Stade de France), 20:00

Sunday, 15 October

Quarter-final 3: Winner Pool D v runner-up Pool C (Stade de Marseille), 16:00

Quarter-final 4: Winner Pool 4 v runner-up Pool B (Stade de France), 20:00

Friday, 20 October

Semi-final 1: QF1 winner v QF2 winner (Stade de France), 20:00

Saturday, 21 October

Semi-final 2: QF3 winner v QF4 winner (Stade de France), 20:00

Friday, 27 October

Third-place match (Stade de France), 20:00

Saturday, 28 October

Final (Stade de France), 20:00

World Cup squads

Each head coach has named a 33-man squad which was submitted to World Rugby on 28 August. Changes can be made because of injury throughout the tournament.