Record crowd anticipated for Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens in new Kai Tak Stadium

The highly anticipated Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens is set to mark the beginning of a new era at the impressive Kai Tak Stadium from 28-30 March in the fifth round of HSBC SVNS 2025.

The Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens will take place at the new Kai Tak Stadium as the world’s best 12 men’s and women’s rugby sevens teams meet for the fifth round of HSBC SVNS on 28-30 March

New Zealand women and Argentina men lead the current SVNS standings after four rounds

All to play for as only the top eight teams at the end of the sixth round in Singapore next weekend will qualify for the HSBC SVNS World Championship in Los Angeles in May

The action kicks off at 10:30 local time (GMT+8) on Friday with pool matches, fans around the world can find out where to watch here

A record crowd of more than 120,000 anticipated, while remaining tickets are available from tickets.hksevens.com

The highly anticipated Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens is set to mark the beginning of a new era at the impressive new Kai Tak Stadium from 28-30 March.

The fifth round of HSBC SVNS will see the world’s top 12 men’s and women’s teams battling it out in front of an expected record crowd of more than 120,000 fans, as they compete for glory and vital points in the SVNS standings as the competition heats up with just two regular season rounds remaining.

POOLS & FIXTURES >>

In the women’s pools Olympic Champions New Zealand are in Pool A against Brazil, China and USA. Pool B will see Fiji up against France, Great Britain and Ireland. Australia face Canada, Japan and Spain in Pool D.

HSBC Vancouver SVNS men’s winners Argentina are drawn against Fiji, Ireland and USA in Pool A. South Africa will encounter Australia, New Zealand and Uruguay in Pool B. While Pool C will see Spain meet France, Great Britain and Kenya in Hong Kong.

The captains of the 24 teams had their first opportunity to experience the new stadium as they gathered on the pitch on Wednesday, with many expressing their excitement at playing in the state-of-the-art new venue.

New Zealand women’s captain Sarah Hirini said: “For us Hong Kong is the home of sevens and this is one of the biggest tournaments that we get to play in so we can’t wait to see the south stand rocking this weekend

“It feels pretty surreal to be here and we’re especially proud to be the first to play here. The pitch looks awesome and I’m sure it’s going to be pretty fast and that the roof can be closed is incredible.

“The season is going well but we want to continue to get better and the more that we have fun I think we’re going to do even better this weekend.”

Spain men’s captain Pol Pla, who will play in his fiftieth Series event, said: “Hong Kong is special and I’m happy to be here for my fiftieth tournament in this amazing new stadium. As players we can feel the energy from the stadium and the South Stand crowd and we love it.

“I’m very proud to be the first Spanish men’s player to reach 50 tournaments. We are currently second in the rankings and this weekend we will go to win the tournament, we can do it, why not?”

STANDINGS >>

New Zealand women and Argentina men lead the current SVNS standings after four rounds and it is all to play for as only the top eight teams at the end of the sixth round in Singapore next weekend will qualify for the HSBC SVNS World Championship in Los Angeles on 3-4 May.

Only four points separate the top four men’s teams with Spain, Fiji and South Africa hot on Argentina’s heels. Meanwhile New Zealand hold a six point lead over rivals Australia in the women’s standings going in to the Hong Kong event.

The Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens has long been one of the marquee events in the global rugby calendar, synonymous with high-energy action and unforgettable moments.

Some of world rugby’s biggest names have played at the Hong Kong Sevens, including Jonah Lomu, Christian Cullen, Waisale Serevi, David Campese and Portia Woodman.

SQUADS >>

The excitement surrounding this year’s event is further heightened by the presence of Olympic medallists and rising stars from around the globe. This blend of experience and youth adds to the excitement and unpredictability of the tournament, ensuring an action-packed weekend of rugby sevens.

The three-day event kicks off at 10:30 local time (GMT+8) on Friday with pool matches. The women’s and men’s finals will bring down the curtain on Sunday at 18:10 and 18:46 respectively.

With a huge crowd of more than 120,000 already confirmed, remaining tickets are available from www.tickets.hksevens.com.

WHERE TO WATCH >>

Fans can watch the HSBC SVNS action wherever you are in the world, either via broadcaster partners or on www.RugbyPassTV.

Following a captivating inaugural year for World Rugby’s revamped and rebranded global celebration of rugby sevens, HSBC SVNS 2025 features seven events across seven months in seven iconic global destinations.

Six regular season events are being played in Dubai, Cape Town, Perth, Vancouver, Hong Kong and Singapore to decide the HSBC SVNS League Winners, with the top eight placed teams qualifying to compete in the ‘winner takes all’ HSBC SVNS World Championship in Los Angeles on 3-4 May, where the women’s and men’s SVNS Champions will be crowned in the LA 2028 Olympic venue for rugby sevens.

Los Angeles will also play host to the SVNS Play Off competition where teams ranked ninth to 12th will join the top four teams from the World Rugby Sevens Challenger.

In a huge year for women’s rugby, World Rugby’s commitment to grow the women’s game is unwavering and all HSBC SVNS events will see men’s and women’s teams receiving equal participation fees and sharing the platform equally on the biggest stages around the world. For the first time in history, there is an all-female panel of match officials for the women’s SVNS 2025.