- World Rugby confirm Nairobi as host city for elite HSBC SVNS Division 2 tournament.
- The tournament will take place in Nairobi, Kenya in February 2026.
- Both Shujaa and Lionesses will be playing in the HSBC SVNS Division 2.
World Rugby has officially confirmed Kenya as a host city for one of the three HSBC SVNS Division 2 outings for the 2026 season.
Back in September, SportPesa Blog broke the news of Kenya’s bid to host one outing of the newly introduced Division 2 legs of the prestigious World Rugby Sevens Series.
Another follow-up by SportPesa Blog revealed that officials from World Rugby flew into the country to make the final assessment of Kenya’s bid which has now turned successful.
ALSO READ: Kenya on the brink of landing HSBC Sevens Division 2 leg as World Rugby make final inspection
World Rugby confirm Nairobi as host city for elite HSBC SVNS Division 2 tournament
In the official launch for the HSBC SVNS 2026 season held in Dubai, World Rugby confirmed that Nairobi will stage the first outing of the SVNS Division 2.
The tournament will take place on 14 to 15 February and will be staged at the Nyayo National Stadium.
SportPesa Blog can also reveal that the tournament will be called the HSBC Nairobi Sevens.
After Nairobi, the second outing will be held in Montevideo, Uruguay on 21-22 March before the final outing takes place in Sao Paulo, Brazil from 28-29 March.
Who will be competing in SVNS Division 2?
The SVNS Division 2 will feature six teams per gender competing across three events. The top four teams will then get promoted to the SVNS World Championship where they will meet the top 8 teams from the SVNS Division 1 in the last three outings of the season in Hong Kong, Valladolid and Bordeaux.
From the 12 sides, teams that finish inside the top 8 will get Division 1 tickets for the 2027 SVNS campaign.
Both the Kenya men’s and women’s national rugby 7s sides, Shujaa and Lionesses respectively, will be participating in the SVNS Division 2 in 2026.
ALSO READ: How Kenya 7s can regain top-tier status following format change by World Rugby
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: Nairobi (14-15 February 2026), Montevideo (21-22 March 2026), Sao Paulo (28-29 March)
- HSBC SVNS 3: (17-19 January 2026)
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.
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