diff --git a/shell/models/__tests__/rke-machine.cattle.io.vmwarevspheremachinetemplate.test.ts b/shell/models/__tests__/rke-machine.cattle.io.vmwarevspheremachinetemplate.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1466ad8a0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shell/models/__tests__/rke-machine.cattle.io.vmwarevspheremachinetemplate.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import VmwarevsphereMachineTemplate from '@shell/models/rke-machine.cattle.io.vmwarevspheremachinetemplate';
+
+describe('class VmwarevsphereMachineTemplate', () => {
+  describe('providerLocation', () => {
+    it.each([
+      ['/DC1/host/ClusterA/Resources', 'ClusterA'],
+      ['/DC1/host/ClusterA/Resources/PoolX', 'ClusterA'],
+      ['/DC1/host/esxi01/Resources', 'esxi01'],
+      ['/DC1/vm/FolderA', null],
+      [undefined, null],
+    ])('should derive provider location from pool path %p', (pool: string | undefined, expected: string | null) => {
+      const machineTemplate = new VmwarevsphereMachineTemplate({
+        spec: {
+          template: {
+            spec: { pool }
+          }
+        }
+      });
+
+      expect(machineTemplate.providerLocation).toStrictEqual(expected);
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/shell/models/rke-machine.cattle.io.vmwarevspheremachinetemplate.js b/shell/models/rke-machine.cattle.io.vmwarevspheremachinetemplate.js
index 1e2c67b5ed..471e8b5e45 100644
--- a/shell/models/rke-machine.cattle.io.vmwarevspheremachinetemplate.js
+++ b/shell/models/rke-machine.cattle.io.vmwarevspheremachinetemplate.js
@@ -1,11 +1,20 @@
 import { formatSi } from '@shell/utils/units';
 import MachineTemplate from './rke-machine.cattle.io.machinetemplate';
 
+const POOL_LOCATION_MATCHER = /\/host\/([^/]+)\/Resources(?:\/|$)/;
+
 export default class VmwarevsphereMachineTemplate extends MachineTemplate {
   get provider() {
     return 'vmwarevsphere';
   }
 
+  get providerLocation() {
+    const pool = this.spec?.template?.spec?.pool;
+    const match = pool?.match(POOL_LOCATION_MATCHER);
+
+    return match?.[1] || null;
+  }
+
   get providerSize() {
     const size = formatSi(this.spec.template.spec.memorySize * 1048576, 1024, 'iB');