Hong Kong celebrates 50 years of sevens magic with high-stakes HSBC SVNS World Championship opener

Twenty-four teams descend on the iconic Kai Tak Stadium as the race for World Championship glory begins in Hong Kong across 17-19 April.

Half a century since the tournament’s inception in 1976, Hong Kong remains the heartbeat of international rugby sevens. This year’s edition marks not only a golden anniversary but the start of a three-tournament World Championship race that will crown the sport’s ultimate champions in 2026.

The historic tournament has transitioned from its original home at Hong Kong Stadium to the state-of-the-art Kai Tak Stadium, ushering in a new chapter for sevens in Hong Kong while honouring the legendary atmosphere that has made the South Stand famous worldwide.

New Zealand’s women and South Africa’s men arrive as the newly crowned HSBC SVNS Series winners following their triumphs in New York, and will be looking to carry that momentum into the World Championship.

Fresh from SVNS 2 action in Sao Paulo, Germany, Kenya, Uruguay and USA join the eight men’s core Series teams, while Argentina, Brazil, South Africa and Spain bolster the women’s competition. With the World Championship continuing in Valladolid before culminating in Bordeaux, every point matters as 24 teams battle for the ultimate prize.

Six additional teams will also compete in the Melrose Claymores, adding further depth to a stacked weekend of rugby.

Players ready for historic weekend

All 24 of the series team captains and the six Melrose Claymores captains marked the tournament’s special milestone at the Kai Tak Stadium for a special event ahead of the weekends action. Argentina’s captain, Santiago Alvarez commented at the launch: “It’s very exciting to be here again for the 50th anniversary. There’s a lot of history in the previous stadium and now here in the new one which is incredible.

“Last year we had an incredible tournament and won it here. It was our first tournament here. We like playing here and are looking forward to the weekend and we’ll try to do our best.”

Risi Pouri-Lane, New Zealand’s captain, added: “There’s something special about being in Hong Kong, obviously knowing the history behind such an iconic tournament. It’s been awesome to come back to the stadium, get a feel for it again and we’re really excited for our girls that haven’t played here before to experience how electric and how alive the stadium gets to when it comes to game day.

“Its going to be a huge weekend with our first championship round and 50 years of Hong Kong Sevens. I’m really looking forward to it!”

Beyond the pitch

Fans can expect world-class entertainment throughout the weekend, with PRIMROSE kicking off the celebrations on Friday, the Vengaboys bringing 90s nostalgia to the main stage on Saturday, and Hindley Street Country Club closing proceedings with a massive singalong ahead of Sunday’s finals.

Limited tickets for the Hong Kong leg of the HSBC SVNS World Championship are available here. To book your seats for the HSBC SVNS in Valladolid, click here – and buy your tickets here for the final HSBC SVNS event of the season in Bordeaux.

Fans can also tune into the action on RugbyPass TV.