- Kenya 7s stars among the elite players set to be drafted this week for the inaugural 2026 Ultimate Sevens Championship.
- Shujaa have 10 players included in the draft, while the Kenya Lionesses have four standout stars on the roster.
- The campaign will feature events in Spain, Wales and France before culminating with the Grand Final at London’s Gtech Community Stadium on September 24.
Kenya 7s stars from the women’s Kenya Lionesses and the men’s Shujaa are among the elite players set to be drafted this week for the inaugural 2026 Ultimate Sevens Championship.
In a draft pool released by the organizers on Monday, August 3, Shujaa have 10 players included in the draft, while the Kenya Lionesses have four standout stars on the roster.
Tony Omondi, Vincent Onyala and Chrisant Ojwang, three of Kenya’s most experienced players in the Shujaa squad, headline the list.
They are joined by Shujaa standouts led by co-captains George Ooro and Samuel Asati, while John Okoth, Kevin Wekesa, Nygel Amaitsa, Patrick Odongo and Festus Shiasi complete the 10-man contingent.
ALSO READ: Rugby Africa President Mensah praises Nairobi after successful HSBC SVNS 2 showcase
On the women’s side, speedster Freshia Odour has been drafted alongside fellow flyer Sinaida Nyachio, with Maureen Muritu and the experienced Sheila Chajira also making the draft pool.
Kenya’s 14 elite players will join a minimum of 120 players from across the globe, featuring some of the world’s best men’s and women’s rugby sevens stars.
The mix includes Olympians, established internationals, and breakout stars from the HSBC SVNS World Series, all in a format crafted to showcase their skill, speed, and athleticism.
What is the Ultimate Sevens Championship?
The Ultimate Sevens is a new private global rugby sevens championship set to launch in September 2026, backed by BIA Sports Group.
Designed to deliver fast-paced, high-impact rugby sevens action, the championship will take place at iconic sporting venues across Europe during its inaugural season.
The campaign will feature events in Spain, Wales and France before culminating with the Grand Final at London’s Gtech Community Stadium on September 24.
ALSO READ: Kenya Rugby Sevens – Kenya 7s squad, stats, fixtures, results, standings and latest news
The competition will feature six founding clubs, each with its own identity representing key global rugby regions.
Each club will field both a 12-player men’s and women’s team, with the two competitions running simultaneously at every venue.
The six clubs competing in the inaugural season are Albion Athletic Sevens Club, Atlantic Novas Sevens Club, Foudre Bleue Sevens Club, Pacific Current Sevens Club, Clan Taran Sevens Club and Sol Feroz Sevens Club.
The six club coaches have already been confirmed, with Philip Snyman leading Clan Taran, Shannon Fraser at Albion Athletic, Kelly Brazier managing Atlantic Novas, Maria Ribera heading Foudre Bleue, Crystal Kaua directing Pacific Current, and Paco Hernández guiding Sol Feroz.
How will the player draft happen, and how could Kenya 7s stars be selected?
The tournament organizers had already directly contracted 24 elite marquee players; 12 men and 12 women ahead of the draft.
These global stars were assigned to franchises before the draft to ensure each club had an even distribution of top-tier talent.
ALSO READ: Explained! Why Rugby, including Kenya 7s, is missing from the 2026 Commonwealth Games
For the remaining players, the Ultimate Sevens Player Draft will allow the six founding clubs to build their squads as lead coaches select from a draft pool featuring some of the most exciting men’s and women’s sevens players in the world.
The draft pool will feature a minimum of 120 eligible players, split equally between the men’s and women’s competitions. Selections will be made over multiple rounds, with lead coaches given a limited time window for every pick.
How will players be assigned?
Before the Player Draft begins, each club will already have two male and two female marquee players allocated.
Each club’s lead coach will then draft the remaining players, with just 45 seconds to make each selection. Every pick will shape the squad.
Each squad will comprise two marquee players, nine elite players and one academy player.
So, how will the selections unfold?
There will be five rounds of drafting in addition to the pre-allocated marquee players. Each club begins with two marquee players.
In Round 1, clubs will select two players, followed by two more in Round 2, another two in Round 3, three players in Round 4 and one academy player in Round 5.
Once the draft is completed, the full squad rosters are expected to be announced before the end of the week.
2026 Ultimate Sevens Championship calendar
The tour kicks off on September 5 at Madrid’s Ontime Butarque Stadium, followed by Round 2 on September 12 at Cardiff Arms Park.
The competition then heads to Parc des Sports Aguilera in Biarritz on September 18 before wrapping up with the Grand Final on September 24 at London’s Gtech Community Stadium.
- Round 1 (Madrid, Spain): Saturday, September 5, 2026 – Ontime Butarque Stadium.
- Round 2 (Cardiff, Wales): Saturday, September 12, 2026 – Cardiff Arms Park.
- Round 3 (Biarritz, France): Friday, September 18, 2026 – Parc des Sports Aguilera.
- Grand Final (London, England): Thursday, September 24, 2026 – Gtech Community Stadium.