Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) officially submitted a bid to host a leg of the World Rugby Sevens Series, raising hopes of bringing the prestigious global event to Nairobi for the first time ever, SportPesa Blog can authoritatively confirm.
KRU is hoping Nairobi can host one outing of the new three-legged Division 2 where the Kenya 7s men and women teams will be playing in following the introduction of a new sevens model by World Rugby at the end of the 2025 season.
“The bid was already submitted and now we are just waiting to see if it will be successful,” a source close to the matter confirmed to SportPesa Blog.
SportPesaBlog also understands that the newly renovated Nyayo National Stadium which hosted the continental African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 in the heart of Nairobi, is the proposed venue for the tournament.
Back in May 2025, Shujaa were handed a late sucker punch in their survival efforts after World Rugby announced the reduction of core sides from 12 to 8 from the 2026 campaign.
ALSO READ: How Kenya 7s can regain top-tier status following format change by World Rugby
Having finished in ninth place in the regular season, the news meant that all the teams’ efforts in the Los Angeles 7s in the USA would not lead to core status. However, the men’s 24-5 win over Canada in the playoffs saw them successfully book their place in Division 2.
The Kenya Lionesses beat South Africa 17-14 to also book their spot in the women’s Division 2.
World Rugby Sevens Series (Division1 calendar)
On Monday, World Rugby confirmed the dates and destinations for the HSBC SVNS 2026 Series which is the top tier of the new three-division global sevens model with the other hosts in Division 2 and 3 to be confirmed.
According to the world governing body, the new model locks in events for the next three years which is expected to strengthen visibility and impact ahead of LA 2028 Olympics.
The top division features six regular-season rounds leading into a three-event HSBC SVNS World Championship, which will decide the line-up for the 2027 top tier.
Every round will host combined men’s and women’s events, with equal participation fees for both.
2026 season structure
- HSBC SVNS Series: Dubai (29-30 November, 2025), Cape Town (6-7 December, 2025), Singapore (31 January-1 February, 2026), Australia (7-8 February, 2026), Vancouver (7-8 March, 2026), USA (14-15 March, 2026).
- HSBC SVNS World Championship: Hong Kong (17-19 April, 2026), Valladolid (29-31 May, 2026), Bordeaux (5-7 June, 2026).
- HSBC SVNS 2: 3 legs from February-March 2026
- HSBC SVNS 3: 1 leg in January 2026
The participating teams in HSBC SVNS 2026 Series top level are:
- Women: Australia, Canada, Fiji, France, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand, USA
- Men: Argentina, Australia, Fiji, France, Great Britain, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain
Confirmed men’s teams for Division 2 in 2026
Division 2 – USA, Uruguay, Kenya, Germany
Key features of the new HSBC SVNS model
- Three-division regular season:
- Division 1 – Eight men’s and eight women’s teams compete in six high-impact SVNS Series events
- Division 2 – Six teams per gender compete in a second division across three events
- Division 3 – A standalone Challenger event with eight teams per gender, qualifying from regional competitions
- Season finale to determine world champion: Three blockbuster SVNS World Championship Series events with the top 12 men’s and women’s teams (eight from Division 1, four from Division 2)
- Integrated tournaments with equal participation fees and representation for men’s and women’s teams
- Defined progression pathway: Teams can advance from regional qualifiers to global championship contention in a single season
- Expanded calendar: 13 tournaments across the HSBC SVNS 2026 season, delivering more opportunity and exposure