50 Years of the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens To Be Celebrated This Weekend

rugbyasia247 Posted On April 16, 2026

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50 Years of the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens To Be Celebrated This Weekend

The 50th anniversary of the most historic and storied rugby sevens tournament in the world, from 17-19 April, will see the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2026 host the first HSBC SVNS World Championship tournament of the new format.

This new format has been introduced by World Rugby in the lead-up to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Teams have been competing across five continents, with three tiers of competition and 10 tournaments to earn a spot in the HSBC SVNS World Championship, which will open up with the first round in Hong Kong, before round 2 in Valladolid, Spain, and round 3 in Bordeaux, France.

In addition to the top eight men’s and women’s teams, which competed across six HSBC SVNS Series events, six men’s and six women’s teams competed across three tournaments for a chance to join the HSBC SVNS Series teams in Hong Kong.

On the Women’s side, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa and Spain were successful and joined Australia, Canada, Fiji, France, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand and the USA.

Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2026 Women Captains

Photo Credit – HKCR – Women’s Captains

In the men’s series, Germany, Kenya, Uruguay and USA earned the right to join Argentina, Australia, Fiji, France, Great Britain, New Zealand, South Africa and Spain at Kai Tak Stadium.

The South African men won four of the six HSBC SVNS Series tournaments – including the last three on the bounce – to finish in top position on the table. South Africa has never tasted victory in Hong Kong. Argentina were winners in 2025 and became only the sixth nation in 49 years to capture the Hong Kong Sevens title, joining Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Samoa and England.

Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2026 men Captains

Photo Credit – HKCR – Men’s Captains

New Zealand’s women have been dominant this season and won five of six HSBC SVNS Series legs to finish clear of Australia at the top of the table. They are also back-to-back defending champions in Hong Kong.

The Iconic Hong Kong Sevens

The tournament started as a one-day event in 1976 and was played in front of an (even then) sellout crowd of 3,000 at the Hong Kong Football Club. It has grown into a three-day festival of sport, fancy dress and music (well, really a week-long festival).

Mr Chris Brooke, Chairman of Hong Kong China Rugby, explained, “Hong Kong China Rugby is proud that the Sevens is today acknowledged as one of Asia’s top sporting weekends as well as one of world sport’s true bucket list events. However, closer to home, the Sevens’ true importance lies in the role which it has had throughout the decades as the rally point for rugby friends and families the world over.

Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2026 - 50th edition

Photo Credit – HKCR

The Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens also has an impact far beyond the Stadium lights, both in terms of funding the vast majority of our rugby activities, and in generating economic benefits for our city with an estimated USD97 million in spending generated in 2025 alone, figures we hope to better in 2026.”

Hong Kong China Rugby confirmed that the event has sold over 130,000 tickets for the 2026 tournament, and only 1,000 three-day tickets (the most economical purchase option) were still available for purchase.