The qualification process for the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup began on 14 February 2015. A total of 12 teams will qualify for the tournament, which will be held in Ireland in 2017.
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Qualification process
Following WRWC 2014, seven teams received an automatic qualification berth - these berths being given the top 7 teams (England, Canada, France, Ireland, New Zealand, the United States and Australia). The remaining five berths for the tournament will be awarded through regional tournaments.
The non-automatic qualification process began on 14 February 2015.
Regional qualification
There will be 12 nations participating in the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup. Seven teams have automatically qualified by virtue of their performance at the prior Rugby World Cup, leaving five teams to qualify through regional matches. Regional Qualification began on 14 February 2015, during the second round of the 2015 Women's Six Nations Championship.
European Quialification
England, France, and Ireland automatically qualified by virtue of their finishes in the 2014 tournament. In addition, there were three other places available for European countries.
Round One
The top two teams from the combined 2015 and 2016 Women's Six Nations Championship, Italy and Wales, qualified directly. The remaining team, Scotland, proceeds to Round Three.
Round Two
The top team from the 2016 Women's European Championship proceeds to Round Three. The tournament will take place in Spain in October, 2016.
Round Three
Scotland, and the winner of Round Two, will play a home-and-away series to determine the final European qualifier.
Asian Qualification
The top two teams of the 2016 Asia Rugby Women's Championship qualify to the Repechage. The ARWC will be contested between Japan, Hong Kong, and Fiji (the winner of the Oceanic qualification competition).
Oceanic Qualification
New Zealand and Australia automatically qualified due to their finishes in the 2014 tournament. A third team, Fiji, qualified to compete in the Asian competition.
Repechage
The two best-ranked teams from a final qualifying tournament featuring one team from Oceania and two teams from Asia.