SEA Women’s XV Championship 2026 – Tournament Preview

rugbyasia247 Posted On February 7, 2026

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The inaugural SEA Women’s 15s Championship 2026 (the women’s equivalent of the Unions Cup) will be played in Kuala Lumpur, with the Philippines, Singapore, and hosts Malaysia involved from February 8-14, 2026. For all three Unions it signals a return to Women’s XV Test matches for the first time in many years.

Initially, Indonsia were also due to be involved, but in late January, it was confirmed that they withdrew, and the format changed to three matchdays instead of semifinals and a final format.

All three matches will be played at Padang Astaka, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, with livestreams available.

We dont know if we will have enough information for individual matchday previews/reviews, but we will try and post updates on our website and socials over the week of the tournament. Rugby Asia 247 will be attending Matchday #2 and #3.

Malaysia Women’s XV Rugby

Mohd Fahmy Abdul Jalil, the Honorary Secretary General of Malaysia Rugby for the 2023 – 2028 told Rugby Asia 247 that having International Women’s XV Tests is hugely important and the matches in 2026 will be their first since 2009!

“Having women’s XVs Test rugby again is a significant milestone for the union and the players. It represents recognition, growth, and a step towards equality in the sport. For the players, it’s an opportunity to showcase their talent on a bigger stage, demonstrate their dedication, and inspire future generations. For the union, it’s about strengthening the women’s game, promoting diversity, and elevating rugby’s profile within the country and internationally.”

The last women’s XVs Test for Malaysia was held 17 years ago. Jalil said, “Our preparations have focused on intensive training camps, strategic planning, and team cohesion. We’ve worked closely on fitness, skills, and understanding game tactics to ensure we’re fully ready to perform at our best. The coaching staff and players have shown great commitment to making this comeback a success.”

The Unions Cup equivalent for the Men has grown from 3 teams to potentially as many as 8 in 2026, but financial commitment and the willingness of the SEA unions to see the Women’s XV sustain itself are key.

Regarding his expectations for this tournament and the long-term future of the event, the Malaysia Rugby Secretary General told us, “The expectations are to compete fiercely, demonstrate our growth, and leave a strong impression on the international stage. We aim to improve with each game, learn, and develop as a team.

Long-term, our goal is to build a sustainable, competitive women’s XVs program that consistently challenges the top teams and inspires more women and girls to get involved in rugby. We see this tournament as a vital step towards that vision.”

Malaysian Women’s 15 Travelling Squad – SEA Women’s XV Championship 2026

The Malaysian women’s 15s team (Bunga Raya 15s) Head Coach is Raimi Yusof.

Singapore Rugby Union Women’s 15s

The Singapore Rugby Union’s Women have not played a 15s Test match since 2019, and GM for the SRU Sidney Kumar, told Rugby Asia 247 of what it means for the Union, “I think this is a momentous occasion for our women’s rugby community as we have not had a Test match since COVD. The last time we did, we hosted the Asia Rugby Women’s Division 1 in Singapore in 2019, so the ladies have had to wait a long time for this.

The team and the SRU are very excited, and the players have been preparing hard. Because it is the first XVs Test match campaign, we have put quite a bit of effort and resources into this, as it will be the first international experience for quite a few in the team. We started our preparation a month ago with a program to get everyone up to speed, and focus on the technical and skill levels to improve the standards.”

In terms of the expectations, the SRU GM added, “We want this competition to be consistent and sustainable, and what I mean is in terms of resourcing and affordability and hosting and the ongoing hosting and participation of the tournament and for Southeast Asia to show that it’s able to stand on its own feet and capable of running this competition to ensure that our players and the community get to consistently get to participate in these 15s competitions.

Ultimately, we want the players to accrue Test caps as they deserve them, but it will also raise the standards of rugby in Singapore and in the region. We hope these competitions can be recognised can be eventualyl built into the Rugby World Cup pathway in the region, and it will allow our players and entire ecosystem to have something to work towards.”

Singapore Women’s 15 Travelling Squad – SEA Women’s XV Championship 2026

Philippines Women’s XV Rugby

The PRFU confirmed this will be the first capped international Women’s XV for the Philippines in seven years, proudly confirming that “The Philippine Women’s Rugby National Team returns to international competition at the SEARF Women’s 15s Championship 2026.”

Women’s XV captain Trixie Pacis told Rugby Asia 247: “It’s an honour to be involved with the return of womens XVs Test rugby in Southeast Asia. XVs opens the door for developing deeper game knowledge and seeing more diversity and inclusivity on the pitch. We are ready to seize the moment, which I hope is the beginning of consistent XVs Test rugby for years to come.”

We will be adding more thoughts from the PRFU closer to their opening match.