Japan Women’s Sevens Series 2026 Challenger Tournaments

The Japan Rugby Football Union have announced the details for the Women’s Sevens Series 2026 Challenger Tournaments in Nagoya and the second round at Shizuoka Ecopa, with the top four teams set to have the chance to join the Taiyo Seimei Women’s Sevens Series 2027.

With the conclusion of the 12th All Japan Women’s 15s Championship 2026 on February 1st 2026, which Yokohama TKM won at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, defeating Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars, the Japanese domestic season turns its attention to Sevens Rugby. Several clubs announced the departure and retirement of players following the 15s season.

The top 12 Japanese Women’s 7s teams will compete in the Taiyo Seimei Women’s Sevens Series 2026, and at the end of the main series (usually three legs), the bottom-ranked sides will need to compete with the four teams who come out on top of these Challenger events to see who competes at the top level the following season. This format was first introduced last season.

Nagato Blue Angels won the Taiyo Seimei WSS 2025 Grand Final Title, which was held in August 2025. It was their third title in a row and their 5th overall.

Photo Credit – JRFU – Team Captains – Taiyo Seimei Women’s Sevens Series 2025

The 12 teams which should be competing in the Taiyo Seimei Women’s Sevens Series 2026 are:

1. Mie Pearls
2. Self-Defence Forces Physical Education School PTS
3. Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix
4. Yokohama TKM
5. Nagato Blue Angels
6. Hokkaido Barbarians Diana
7. Nippon Sport Science University Women’s Rugby Team
8. Nanairo Prism Fukuoka
9. Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars
10. Arukas Queen Kumagaya Venus
11. Otemon Gakuin University Women’s Rugby Club VENUS
12. Challenge Team (Development Team)

The teams which competed in the Relegation/Promotion matches at the end of the 2025 season:

• Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars (Promoted to Main Series 2026)
• Arukas Queen Kumagaya Venus (Promoted to Main Series 2026)
• Otemon Gakuin University Women’s Rugby Club VENUS (Promoted to Main Series 2026)
• Waseda University
• Brave Louve
• Japan University of Economics

In these relegation/promotion matches, Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars, Arukas Queen Kumagaya women’s RFC, and Otemon Gakuin University Women’s Rugby Club Venus earned the right to participate in the 2026 series.

Japan Women’s Sevens Series 2026 Challenger Tournaments

The JRFU said there will be two Women’s Sevens Series 2026 Challenger tournaments, with the aim of increasing match opportunities for teams not participating in the Women’s Sevens Series main draw and creating opportunities for promotion to the main draw.”

Photo Credit – JRFU – Taiyo Seimei Women’s Sevens Series 2025

Japan Women’s Sevens Series 2026 Challenger Format

Points will be awarded based on the rankings at each of the two tournaments, and the overall ranking is determined by the total points from the two tournaments. The top four teams will earn the right to play in a promotion/relegation match for promotion to the main series.

There is a confusingly named Challenge team competing in the main series (JRFU Development side, mostly featuring younger players and is not subject to demotion), which is not subject to relegation, so if this team is ranked 9th to 12th in the main tournament at the end of the series, it will not be eligible for relegation matches.

The number of participating teams, pools, and match schedules for the Challenger Tournaments will be announced at a later date.

Fans can attend the tournaments for free.

Challenger Tournament Round 1 Nagoya Tournament 2026

• Dates: Saturday, May 16th to Sunday, 17th, 2026
• Location: Paloma Mizuho Rugby Stadium (5-4 Yamashita-dori, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture)

Challenger Tournament Round 2 Shizuoka Ecopa Tournament 2026

• Dates: Saturday, June 13th to Sunday, June 14th, 2026
• Location: Ogasayama General Athletic Park Ecopa Stadium (2300-1 Aino, Fukuroi City, Shizuoka Prefecture)

Asian Rugby Tournaments 2026

• Asian International Rugby Tournaments 2026.
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