Rugby World Cup 2023: Scotland to play South Africa in their opener
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Scotland and South Africa have met twice previously at Rugby World Cups, most recently at St James' Park in Newcastle in 2015 when the Springboks won 34-16
Scotland will play defending champions South Africa in their first match of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.
England's opening match of the tournament will be against Argentina on the previous day, 9 September.
Wales take on Fiji, against whom they suffered a pool-stage shock in 2007, on the same weekend.
The schedule begins with hosts France taking on three-time champions New Zealand at Paris' Stade de France on Friday, 8 September.
"Everyone who likes rugby dreams of seeing this game," France captain Charles Ollivon said of the match against the All Blacks.
"Kicking off our World Cup against the All Blacks, there's no equivalent."
Ireland's first opposition will be confirmed when the final two European teams are decided, with Georgia, Russia and Spain among the possibilities.
Ireland's potentially crucial Pool B meeting with Scotland will take place at the 80,000-seater Stade de France on Saturday, 7 October.
England's and Scotland's opening games will be played in Marseille's Stade Velodrome on successive days as part of the organisers' plan of bringing fans together for 'double-header weekends' in host cities.
Wales and Ireland will both begin their campaigns in Bordeaux on the same weekend.
The Stade de France hosted France's win over England in last year's Six Nations, as well as the 2007 Rugby World Cup final
The tournament has been extended by a week to allow all teams at least five days' rest between pool matches, while squads have been expanded from 31 to 33 players.
The top two teams in each of the four pools progress to the quarter-finals, which are shared between Marseille and Paris.
Both semi-finals, the third-place match and 28 October's final all take place at the Stade de France.
2023 Rugby World Cup schedule
Pool A
September 8: Stade de France - France v New Zealand
September 9: Saint-Etienne - Italy v Africa 1
September 14: Lille - France v America 1
September 15: Toulouse - New Zealand v Africa 1
September 20: Nice - Italy v America 1
September 21: Marseille - France v Africa 1
September 27: Lyon - America 1 v Africa 1
September 29: Lyon - New Zealand v Italy
October 5: Lyon - New Zealand v America 1
October 6: Lyon - France v Italy
Pool B
September 9: Bordeaux - Ireland v Europe 2
September 10: Marseille - South Africa v Scotland
September 16: Nantes - Ireland v Asia/Pacific 1
September 17: Bordeaux - South Africa v Europe 2
September 23: Stade de France - South Africa v Ireland
September 24: Nice - Scotland v Asia/Pacific 1
September 30: Lille - Scotland v Europe 2
October 1: Marseille - South Africa v Asia/Pacific 1
October 7: Stade de France - Ireland v Scotland
October 8: Lille - Asia/Pacific 1 v Europe 2
Pool C
September 9: Saint-Denis - Australia - Europe 1
September 10: Bordeaux - Wales v Fiji
September 16: Nice - Wales v Winner final qualifying round
September 17: Saint-Etienne - Australia v Fiji
September 23: Toulouse - Europe 1 v Winner final qualifying round
September 24: Lyon - Wales v Australia
September 30: Bordeaux - Fiji v Europe 1
October 1: Saint-Etienne - Australia v - Winner final qualifying round
October 7: Nantes - Wales v Europe 1
October 8: Toulouse - Fiji v Winner final qualifying round
Pool D
September 9: Marseille - England v Argentina
September 10: Toulouse - Japan v America 2
September 16: Bordeaux - Oceania 1 v America 2
September 17: Nice - England v Japan
September 22: Saint-Etienne - Argentina v Oceania 1
September 23: Lille - England v America 2
September 28: Toulouse - Japan v Oceania 1
September 30: Nantes - Argentina v America 2
October 7: Lille - England v Oceania 1
October 8: Nantes - Japan v Argentina
Quarter-finals
October 14: Marseille - Pool C winner v Pool D runner-up
October 14: Stade de France - Pool B winner v Pool A runner-up
October 15: Marseille - Pool D v Pool C runner-up
October 15: Stade de France - Pool A winner v Pool B runner-up
Semi-finals
October 20: Stade de France - Winner QF 1 v Winner QF 2
October 21: Stade de France - Winner QF 3 v Winner QF 4
Third place play-off
October 27: Stade de France
Final
October 28: Stade de France
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