The Tradition HKFC 10s 2026, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary, will take place at Hong Kong Football Club from 14-16 April in an extended three-day format, and the quality of teams promises an action-packed and intense tournament.
Image and Photo credit – Tradition HKFC 10s. We will update this as new announcements are made for the schedule and team squad news.
In total, 8 teams are making a debut appearance at the tournament in 2026 – four Men’s and four Women’s teams. Among the 8 Women’s and 12 Men’s teams competing, some coaches and players have won Rugby World Cup 7s and 15s, Sevens Rugby World Cups, HSBC Sevens Series titles, Olympic medals and World Rugby Player of the Year accolades as well as national titles.
Women’s Teams – HKFC 10s 2026
The opening ceremony will take place at 4 PM on Tuesday, 14 April, with the first of 8 womens matches kicking off at 4:45 pm, and the tournament will run until Thursday, April 16th, 2026.
The Women’s section was introduced in 2023 as a world-class platform for elite female athletes and has seen several capped 7s and 15s players involved from several countries, and players who have competed at the Olympic Games and the Rugby World Cup.
- The defending champions are the NZ Legends (which features Hong Kong-based and overseas players, notably Portia Woodman-Wickliffe and Ruby Tui)
- Other newcomers to the tournament are the Oxford University Rugby Football Club Women and the Shaohua Rugby from China.
- Teams from Japan include the Nagato Blue Angels and Nanairo Prism Fukuoka, with the latter making their debut at the HKFC 10s.
- Local sides are the Valley Broncos, HKFC Natixis Ice, and the newly formed Hong Kong Bauhinias.
AOne Sports New Zealand Legends (Defending champions)
The NZ side has two legendary marquee players signed up in the form of Portia Woodman-Wickliffe and Ruby Tui, who have multiple Rugby World Cup 7s and XVs titles and points between them.
The side is also bolstered by some of the stars who shone in the domestic HKCR Prem this season, and the team said online that the side is a combination of Hong Kong and NZ-based Kiwis.
HK-based players include: Sammy Spence, Elitha Sylvester, Becky Davidson, Shaye Whareaorere, Monty Heslop, Kendra Taoho, while other NZ-based players include Finau Mafi, Leata Puni.
Nagato Blue Angels (2025 finalists)
The Japanese side returns to HKFC 10s after losing the final in 2025 in a thriller to the NZ Legends, 0-5. The Blue Angels are a regular top side in the Japanese domestic 7s and 15s competitions and have several Sakura 7s and 15s players in their ranks. They are 5-time champions of the Japan Women’s Sevens Series and won the Taiyo Seimei WSS Grand Final in 2025.
They recently announced the signing of several new players as they prepare for the 7s season, and one of the players signed is Fiji 7s international Adita Milinia.
In March 2026, Puea Faifua was appointed as the new Head Coach of the Nagato Blue Angels, joining from Bond University, where he helped build a culture of excellence and high performance.
Natixis HKFC Ice
The domestic Hong Kong club and hosts finished in the top four in the regular Nan Fung | AIRSIDE Women’s Prem season in 2026. Their coach is former USA 15s and HKFC WCCO Charli Jacoby, who joined HKFC Rugby in 2025 as Women’s Club Coaching Officer.
They were Plate Finalists in 2025.
Nanairo Prism Fukuoka
The Japanese Women’s Club are another top side in Japan and won the Nanairo Cup in 2025 and were losing finalists to the Sakura 7s Development team in 2026.
They had to fundraise to get to HKFC 10s, and the team, based in Kurume City, said they were founded in 2019 and are committed to promoting sports, fostering a society where women can thrive, and contributing to the local community through rugby.
Nanairo Prism Fukuoka has 23 members in total: 16 working adult players and 7 students from Kurume University. Their aim is to become the best in Japan at the Taiyo Life Women’s Sevens Series (national domestic 7s season), which starts in June, 2026. Last season, they were runner-up in two of the four tournaments.
In their squad is well-known Chiharu Nakamura, who is a former Sakura 7s captain and Olympian who has won numerous titles and attended three Rugby World Cup 7s tournaments. The team will also include two players from the Hokkaido Barbarians Diana club.
Valley Broncos
The team comprises players from the Valley RFC who were domestic Nan Fung | AIRSIDE Women’s Premiership League Winners this season but lost the Grand Final.
Shaohua Rugby
Another debut team at the 2026 edition of the tournament is the Shaohua Rugby, who were 15-a-side champions in the All China competition in 2025 and are the feeder to the Shanxi province for the National Games held in 2025.
Oxford University Rugby Football Club Women
Another team making their debut in 2026 at the World’s Best 10s rugby tournament, the Oxford University Rugby Football Club Women, head to Hong Kong after participating in a tour to Laos, where they will be engaged in the Pass it Back program, run by ChildFund Rugby.
Women’s Club Captain Chloe-Marie Hawley said, “Competing at the HKFC 10s is both a privilege and a responsibility. We’re proud to represent Oxford Women’s University Rugby and the values of respect, ambition and shared growth that define our club.”
Hong Kong Bauhinias
The 4th women’s team to make their debut this year, the Hong Kong Bauhinias comprise some of the very best from the HKCR Women’s Premiership, as well as globally invited players.
Ben Wills will be the team’s Head Coach, and he has experience with England Rugby, Wasps Women and is currently with Bracknell Rugby Club.
For details on tickets, you can see more information here to attend the Tradition HKFC 10s 2026.
Women’s Pools
Pool A
- AOne Sports New Zealand Legends
- HKFC Natixis Ice
- Valley Broncos
- Oxford University RFC
Pool B
- Nagato Blue Angels
- Nanairo Prism Fukuoka
- Shaohua Rugby
- Hong Kong Buahinias
You can find the full schedule for each day of the tournament here.
Men’s Teams – HKFC 10s 2026
There are four debuts this year among the Men’s teams at the HKFC 10s: the Chennai Bulls from India, coached by Ben Gollings, the TP ICAP First Nations & Pasifika Team coached by Glen Ella, the R10 Select will also be appearing for the first time, and the squad includes national team players from the USA and Zimbabwe.
Finally, the Froggies from France, who were established in 1989 and have a legacy of touring the world, will also make their first appearance, and Philippe Sella is the Head Coach.
Tradition YCAC will be back to defend their title, while perennial competitors RGH Shogun International RFC will be celebrating the club’s 30th anniversary and looking to claim the title they won in 2024.
The GOAT of 7s coaches, Sir Gordon Tietjens, will be Head Coach of the SHRM Overseas Old Boys, while former USA 7s Head Coach, Mike Friday, is the Ashbury Tropics Head Coach.
Tradition YCAC (Defending champions)
The 2025 champions and annual threat at the HKFC 10s are back to defend their title in 2026. They also won the title in 2023 and, in total, have won the Burgess-Wootten Cup three times in the tournament’s 39-year history.
RGH Shogun International RFC (Winners 2025)
The winners of the 2024 HKFC 10s and losing semifinalists last year, Shogun, are also celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2026. The team is usually stacked with playing and coaching talent. They have played and won in tournaments across six continents
As part of their anniversary, they have also announced a collaboration with the MND Association.
TP ICAP First Nations & Pasifika Team
Glen Ella will coach the TP ICAP First Nations & Pasifika Team as they make their debut at the Tradition HKFC 10s. He said, “The Tradition HKFC 10s is a world-class competition, and it’s a privilege to bring this unique group of players together. The talent pool across First Nations and Pasifika communities is immense, and this tournament provides a vital platform for these players to showcase their skills on an international stage.
We are focused on playing an exciting, expansive style of rugby that reflects the players’ heritage and honours the spirit of the game.”
Matt Sonter highlighted several players to look out for during the tournament, notably Jordan Williams, Gage Phillips and Logan Oldridge.
UBB 10s
The French side were losing semi-finalists at the 2025 HKFC 10s in what was their first entry at the tournament, and are looking to go further this year. They are the reigning French and European club 7s champions.
Ashbury Tropics
The Ashbury Tropics are set to make their fourth straight appearance at the HKFC 10s in 2026 and will hope to add to the silverware they won last year.
The Head Coach is former USA 7s Head Coach, Mike Friday, who has one of the most impressive Rugby 7s coaching CVs around. He oversaw the USA 7s programme at 3 Olympic Games and 2 Rugby Sevens World Cups and helped Kenya to their highest ever World Series finish.
The first high-profile player announced was Niko Matawalu, who will be making his 2nd HKFC 10s appearance. The Fijian 7s and 15s player has competed at two Rugby World Cups and has 150+ professional 15s appearances – most notably with Glasgow Warriors, where he won the 2014-15 Pro12 title.
The team is having a Meet and Greet at Bobbys Rabble on Monday, 13 April from 7-10 PM (HK$600 pp). All proceeds for this event will go to Tropics.
Froggies Club
The French Froggies have built a legacy of touring the world since 1989 and make their debut at the HKFC 10s. The Head Coach is none other than World Rugby Hall of Famer and 133 French-capped Philippe Sella!
Chennai Bulls Select
The Chennai Bulls formed for the new RPL in India (Rugby Premier League 7s), which they won in 2025. They are coached by record Sevens player Ben Gollings, who most recently at a national level was the Fiji Men’s Head Coach before he joined the Chennai Bulls.
The team also competed in Fiji at the Coral Coast 7s, albeit with mainly a Fijian side.
SHRM Overseas Old Boys
The SHRM Overseas Old Boys are appearing in their 20th straight edition of the HKFC 10s in 2026.
Both former Irish 7s players and Rugby 7s Olympians, Harry McNulty and Jordan Conroy, will be turning out for the SHRM Overseas Old Boys, which will be coached by the GOAT of 7s rugby coaches, Sir Gordon Tietjens.
The New Zealander is a Hall of Famer who won 10 World Sevens titles as well as Rugby World Cup 7s and Commonwealth Golds when he was in charge of NZ.
McNulty appeared at the HKFC 10s in 2016 & 2017 for King’s College.
Natixis HKFC Club
The home club of the HKFC 10s, the Men’s team won the Nan Fung | AIRSIDE Men’s Prem League and Grand Final this season and have several Hong Kong China XVs players in their ranks as well as players who have represented national 7s and 15s teams elsewhere.
They were Plate Finalists in 2025.
Rugby Tens Select
The side comes from the South African but now largely USA-focused R10S franchise, which includes several former national team 7s players.
Taikoo Place Scottish Exiles
The Taikoo Place Scottish Exiles draw from the local club, HK Scottish, and have previously won silverware at the HKFC 10s, including the Plate and Bowl.
Tsunami East Africans
One of the more popular sides at the tournament, after a 2-year hiatus, the Tsunami East Africans are back at HKFC.
Men’s Pools
Pool A
- Tradition YCAC
- Froggies Club
- Chennai Bulls Select
- Tsunami East Africans
Pool B
- RGH Shogun Rugby
- Ashbury Tropics
- SHRM Overseas Old Boys
- Tai Koo Scottish Exiles
Pool C
- TP ICAP First Nations & Pasifika
- UBB 10s
- HKFC Natixis Club
- Rugby Tens Select
How To Watch the Tradition HKFC 10s 2026
The HKFC 10s will be streamed online, and there are events set up on Facebook and YouTube for each day of the streaming. You can find more information on the venue and access.
Hong Kong Sevens 2026 News
- 2026 Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens – Fan’s Guide On What You Need To Know.
- Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens Announce Partners With The Hong Kong Jockey Club & The Hong Kong Football Club.
- HKFC 10s Announces Title Sponsor Extension with Tradition Until 2028.
- TP ICAP First Nations & Pasifika Team Set to Make Tradition HKFC 10s Debut in 2026.
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