World Rugby Unveils Expanded Three-Tier HSBC SVNS Structure with New Global Destinations

World Rugby has officially launched the HSBC SVNS 2026 season, announcing a refreshed three-tier global structure designed to provide a transparent competitive pathway ahead of the LA 2028 Olympic Games.

The expansion includes strategic entry into new host cities across the United States and Europe, reinforcing the governing body’s strategy to broaden the sport’s commercial footprint and competitive depth.

The new format ensures full gender parity with equal participation fees, marking a significant commercial and governance milestone for the sport.

Emphasising the strategic timing of the overhaul relative to the Olympic cycle, World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin, said: “We’re entering an exciting new era for sevens as we kick off the journey to LA 2028.”

“With all fixtures locked in across all three levels of HSBC SVNS, it’s really all to play for… Sevens is ready to thrill fans like never before,” Gilpin said.

The top-tier competition is split into the HSBC SVNS Series—featuring six destinations including the newly added New York leg alongside Dubai, Cape Town, Singapore, Perth, and Vancouver—and a high-stakes World Championship.

This Championship will culminate in a double-header finale in two new European markets: Valladolid (Spain) and Bordeaux (France), following a kickoff at the iconic Hong Kong Sevens.

To facilitate promotion and relegation, World Rugby has locked in destinations for the second and third divisions.

HSBC SVNS 2 will tour Nairobi, Montevideo, and São Paulo, while HSBC SVNS 3 will operate as a singular qualification event in Dubai in January 2026.

This tiered system allows teams to progress from regional competitions to the elite level within a single season, addressing long-standing calls for better competitive pathways for emerging nations.

The launch in Dubai highlighted the format’s role in high-performance talent pipelines, noting that 48 athletes at the recent Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 were products of the sevens circuit.

The 2026 season kickoff aims to integrate this sporting evolution with a major entertainment festival strategy, utilising global music acts to drive live event attendance and fan engagement in the Middle East.

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