Twenty teams will compete in the 2011 World Cup. The following twelve teams qualified for the 2011 World Cup by finishing in the top three of their group in the 2007 Rugby World Cup:
* Argentina
* Australia
* England
* Fiji
* France
* Ireland
* Italy
* New Zealand
* Scotland
* South Africa
* Tonga
* Wales
The remaining eight teams qualified for the 2011 World Cup through regional qualifying competitions:
* Canada
* Georgia
* Japan
* Namibia
* Romania
* Russia
* Samoa
* United States
