WHENAt the end of Year 4 of the preceding cohort, after its final Category A or F event.
WHAT THE RANKING DOESThe updated World Ranking fixes each team’s Championship Category and one of four pots.
WHAT THE DRAW DOESOne team is drawn from each pot into every group; the group is tied to its Host Venue.
CONFEDERATION RULEA standard group may contain up to four teams from one confederation. Ranking and pot position govern the draw.
CATEGORY G FLEXIBILITYWith 49 teams, additional venues may open or existing venues may stage extra matches. In this example, #241 Tokelau joins Group A in Sydney.
Two different draws
First Draw: assigns A–G to the seven permanent Host Clusters.
Second Draw: assigns teams to groups and their named Host Venues.
Open corpus passage ↗When the second draw occurs
After Year 4 of the preceding cohort and publication of the latest ranking.
End 2034 → 2035–2038 draw · End 2038 → 2039–2042 draw
Open corpus passage ↗2035–2038 ONLY: the 2034 Ranking Snapshot sets the initial Category and Pot.
Thereafter: relegated teams enter Pot 1, continuing teams occupy Pots 2–3, and promoted teams enter Pot 4. Category A and G use the applicable adaptations. Open corpus passage ↗
