Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championships (AREMC 2026) Tournament Preview

The Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship (AREMC 2026) is shortened with the withdrawal of the UAE, and all three competing teams are fielding inexperienced squads, which means it could be an unpredictable series, but has it also been devalued?

Asia Rugby said, of the changes to the schedule this season, “The revised schedule follows changes to the tournament due to the ongoing regional conflict, which created significant logistical and operational challenges for the competition and resulted in the UAE being unable to participate in this year’s tournament.”

With the UAERF withdrawing its side, their matches are going to be counted as 0-0 draws, allowing them to retain their current ranking points. The United Arab Emirates has been the runner-up for the past two years.

All three national teams, Hong Kong China, South Korea, and Sri Lanka, have new head coaches in charge for the AREMC 2026.

AREMC 2026 Schedule

Times shown are local times.

• Sunday 24 May 2026: Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong China – Racecourse Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka – KO 15:00
• Sunday 7 June 2026: Hong Kong China vs Korea – Hong Kong – HKFC, KO 16:30
• Saturday 13 June 2026: Korea vs Sri Lanka – Namdong Asiad Rugby Stadium, Incheon, Korea – KO 15:00

Hong Kong China AREMC 2026 Squad

The highest-ranked team in the competition at 23rd, Hong Kong China are aiming for a 7th straight title in Asia and will be favourites even though they are fielding an inexperienced Test side.

We had also already heard that the HKCR would not field many first-choice players as they prepare for the upcoming Tests in the Nations Cup and tours in Japan and NZ, and that a development team would compete in the AREMC 2026.

Last year, on the way to their 6th straight title in Asia, they were dominant and beat all three opponents with bonus-point wins, scoring 28 tries and ending with a points differential of +152. They only conceded 5 tries, and AREMC 2025 top try scorer Matt Worley was not included in the HKCR opening tournament squad

HKCR announced in May 2026 that USRC Tigers Club Coaching Officer (CCO) Nigel Hotham will be Head Coach of the development group playing in this campaign.

For the opening match in Sri Lanka, very few players from the contracted Rugby World Cup training squad have been seconded to the Hong Kong China side travelling to Colombo.

You can read more here: Hong Kong China Rugby Men’s XV Squads Confirmed for AREMC 2026 Opener.

Korea Squad – AREMC 2026

Korea finished third the past two years in a row and has endured disapointing results for a few years. Another season, another new Korean Men’s XV Head Coach.

Yu Young Nam had called up a squad of 23 players (13 forwards and 10 backs) with as many as 12 uncapped players. There are also 5 University players included for Korea who are ranked 37th by World Rugby.

In 2025, the Korean team scored the second-most tries in the competition (14), but the defence was porous.

In the short six-round 2026 Korean National Rugby League, KEPCO were undefeated, and they have 6 players in the final squad. There are 3 POSCO players and 5 Hyundai Glovis players in the Korean side, while OKMan didn’t win a game but has 4 players in the team: Park Gun Woo (2 caps), Kim Chan Deul (4 caps), as well as uncapped Oh Mun Sung and Yu Sung Tae. 

The South Koreans have also selected their first-ever foreign player in the form of Fijian-born and Korea 7s player Emosi Labat among the loose forwards. In the whole squad, only three players have represented Korea 10 times or more.

The wider training group has an additional 32 players, which includes 21 uncapped players, 11 of whom are university players.

(based on Rugby Asie reporting)

Sri Lanka Squad – AREMC 2026

The Sri Lanka Tuskers are ranked 48th and finished last year’s AREMC without a win. They can play some fantastic running rugby, but they really struggled with an understrength pack. Ultimately, last year, they scored the fewest tries (8) in the tournament.

So far in 2026, they played the NZ U85kg twice and lost both games. The SLR also announced after that series that they have launched a High-Performance 7s programme for six months, and 21 players have been contracted who will solely focus on 7s rugby until the Asian Games at the end of the year.

This means they will also be fielding a development-focused XVs squad for the AREMC 2026, with the Head Coach being Dushanth Lewke. He is a former Sri Lanka captain and coached the CR and FC to a historic double in domestic rugby this season.

Sri Lankan media reports said that of the initial pool of 53 players selected for the AREMC 2026, several players did not turn up for practices. There were also coach changes with backs coach Lasitha de Costa stepping down – replaced by former Sri Lanka sevens player Lakala Perera.

Tharindu Chathuranga, Vimukthi Gamage, Naham Hemachandra, Janith Chandimal, Denuwan Hansaka, Chathura Dilshan, Abdul Haadhi, Sabith Musheen, Kaweesha Kaluarachchi, Thanuja Maduranga, Sachinthana Waidyanatha, Nirosh Perera, Nisal Silva, Harusha Perera, Dilshara Kodagoda, Isuru Perera, Mursheed Doray, Venura Kodagoda, Udesh Madushanka, Harsha Maduranga, Oshan Gunarathne, Samitha Warnakulasooriya, Kaveesha Amarasekara, Hamdaan Safraz, Hansitha de Silva, Shamika Kaushan, Koojana Kulatunge, Yoshitha Jayasekera, Januth Rathnayake, Janith Marasinghe, Yuwan Pathirana, Thilina Bandara, Viduna Amaneth, Kushan Tharindu, Abdullah Rizvi, Naveen Marasinghe, Denuwan Wickramarachchi, Isuru Kongahawatte, Asiri Senevirathne, Dimuth Perera, Nuwan Perera, Shenal Uyangoda, Lasindu Karunathilake, Pasindu Bandara, Dilshan Jaya, Shenal Adhikaram, Sudaraka Dikkumbura, Lahiru Rathnayake, Ashan Bandara, Pramod Padmashanka, Navin Kanishka and Thenuka Nanayakkara.

Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship 2026 Match Officials

According to Asia Rugby, these are the confirmed match officials for the tournament. No Sri Lankan or Korean officials are included.

Referees

• Morgan White (HKCR)
• James Fairbourn (UAERF)
• Francesco Cammisa (HKCR)
• Jacobus De Wit (UAERF)
• Katsuki Furuse (JRFU)

Assistant Referees

• Craig Chan (HKCR)
• James Fairbourn (UAERF)
• Francesco Cammisa (HKCR)
• Ibuki Tetsuya (JRFU)
• Stephen Copeman (HKCR)
• JP Clements (UAERF)
• Sunny Lee Chui Yan (HKCR)
• Koki Yamamuchi (JRFU)
• Jacobus De Wit (UAERF)
• Sam Brown (HKCR)

TMOs

• Simon Dodd (UAERF)
• Shane Barr (HKCR)
• Just Wang (SRU)
• Matthew Rodden (HKCR)

Asian International Rugby News 2026

• Sri Lanka Rugby Announces National Coaching Teams for 2026.
• Asian International Rugby Tournaments 2026.
• Hong Kong China Men’s XV Head To South America for July World Rugby Nations Cup 2026 Fixtures.
• JAPAN XV 2026 Squad Announced.