Dubai To Host HSBC SVNS 3 Sevens Series In January 2026 At The Sevens Stadium

Dubai is set to host the International Rugby Sevens Series – Level Three (HSBC SVNS 3) on 17–18 January 2026, with 16 national teams competing at The Sevens Stadium for promotion within World Rugby’s updated global competition structure.

The event will be co-organised by the UAE Rugby Federation and World Rugby, and will include both men’s and women’s national teams. Eight men’s sides and eight women’s sides will take part, underlining Dubai’s ongoing role as a regular venue for international rugby sevens.

Teams will be split into two pools in each category, creating four groups in total. Matches will start on Saturday, 17 January 2026, with sides progressing through pool play towards crucial qualification games that decide promotion positions.

The top two men’s teams and top two women’s teams in Dubai will secure places in the Rugby Sevens Series – Level Two (HSBC SVNS 2). That higher tier is scheduled for February and March 2026, and forms the next step in World Rugby’s new pathway.

The Dubai tournament sits inside World Rugby’s redesigned Rugby Sevens Series model, which introduces a single-season competitive system. This structure links more international events and is aimed at developing rugby sevens as an Olympic sport ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Games.

Qais Al Dhalai, President of the Asian and Arab Rugby Federations and Vice President of the UAE Rugby Federation, says hosting HSBC SVNS 3 shows World Rugby’s trust in the UAE Rugby Federation and highlights the UAE’s growing contribution to rugby development regionally and worldwide.

With inputs from WAM