- Kenya on the brink of landing HSBC Sevens Division 2 leg as final approvals near.
- World Rugby officials are in the country assessing readiness and infrastructure for the event.
- The Division 2 leg will be held in February 2026.
Kenya is on the verge of being confirmed as hosts for one of the three HSBC SVNS Division 2 legs for the 2026 World Rugby Sevens Series season, SportPesa Blog can exclusively confirm.
Back in September, SportPesa Blog broke the news of Kenya’s bid to host the prestigious World Rugby Sevens Series.
After confirmation of the bid from the Kenya Rugby Union and the Ministry of Sports, SportPesa Blog can now confirm that World Rugby is in the final phase of assessment before the official communication is made within the next two weeks.
ALSO READ: Kenya Rugby Union tables bid to host prestigious World Rugby Sevens Series leg
World Rugby competitions director Nigel Cass is in the country where he will conduct inspection visits to some of the facilities that will help in staging the tournament in February.
Cass is expected to visit potential hosting grounds which include the state-of-the-art Talanta Sports City Stadium, currently in the final stages of construction, and the Nyayo National Stadium which is the most likely option.
SportPesa Blog is also aware that Cass will make a stop at some of the accommodation facilities that could potentially host the teams.
After watching the 2025 Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens tournament that was successfully hosted at the RFUEA Grounds in Nairobi, Cass admitted that Kenya has what it takes to host a SVNS Division 2 leg. He also praised the incredible atmosphere that Kenyans create on the series.
Kenya on the brink of landing HSBC Sevens Division 2 leg
“I have been involved in sevens for a long time and the Kenya 7s is just wonderful. To receive a bid from Kenya, to get some of the atmosphere that Kenya will bring to a 7s tournament will be great and so decisions will be made in the couple of weeks.
Hosting the 2025 Rugby Africa Women’s 7s has really really added something to the proposal that Kenya has put forward.
Kenya definitely has what it takes, we just have to wait for a couple of weeks to see the confirmation of where the SVNS 2 will be held,” Cass told SportPesa Blog.
Infrastructure inspection visit
Rugby Africa President Herbert Mensah,who is also a member of the World Rugby Executive Board, revealed Kenya would be awarded as hosts if the infrastructure pass the test.
“It is positive (Kenya’s bid) and when he (Cass) goes to inspect the facilities, if they are good enough then it will be announced. So let us hope they are good enough,” he told SportPesa Blog.
KRU CEO Thomas Odundo confirmed that the Kenyan government has already allocated money for the successful staging of the event which will be held for the very first time on Kenyan soil.
“We will be getting feedback over the next two weeks, but the Government is behind us and has allocated an amount for us to hold a successful event,” he said.
Kenya has already staged successful World Rugby events including two editions of the U20 World Trophy staged in 2009 and 2023.
Both the men’s and women’s national rugby 7s sides, Shujaa and Lionesses, respectively will play in Division 2 in 2026 season.
Division 2 will have six men and six women teams competing for the top four places that will grant them a ticket to the HSBC SVNS World Championship against the top 8 teams.
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 – Kenya, USA, Uruguay, Germany
Confirmed women’s teams for Division 2 in 2026
Division 2 – Kenya, Brazil, China, Spain
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.