- Here is day 1 order of play, participating teams, kick off time and the pools for 2026 Safari 7s.
- The 28th edition of Safari 7s kicks off this Friday ,9th October,2026.
- Nyayo Stadium is set to host the 3-day event.
The countdown to the 28th edition of the Safari 7s is entering its final stages, with Nyayo National Stadium set to come alive when the tournament gets underway on Friday, October 9.
The three-day rugby festival will bring together some of the leading teams from Kenya, Africa and beyond, with 18 sides expected to compete across the men’s and women’s categories.
For the Kenyan fans, much of the attention will be on defending champions Kenya Shujaa, who return to Nyayo looking to retain the title and extend their winning run in the competition. Shujaa are targeting a fifth consecutive Safari 7s crown after lifting last year’s trophy.
Shujaa have been placed in Pool A alongside familiar East African rivals Uganda, Scotland and SportPesa Forward Legends. Their campaign will begin on Friday afternoon against SportPesa Forward Legends before they face Scotland on Saturday morning and Uganda later in the afternoon.
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The Uganda fixture is expected to attract particular interest given the long-standing rivalry between the two East African neighbours.
Kenya will also have another strong contender in the men’s competition, with the Kenya Morans leading Pool C. The Morans will face Zimbabwe, GEL Squad 7s and Wonder 7s in what promises to be a competitive group.
The Morans arrive in Nairobi with plenty of confidence after winning the Africa Men’s 7s title in Mauritius, and they will be keen to translate that form into a strong Safari 7s campaign. They reached the semi-finals last year before settling for third place, meaning there is unfinished business for the side this time around.
Their first match will be against GEL Squad 7s on Friday at 4:28pm before they take on Wonder 7s on Saturday morning. Their final pool match will be a rematch against Zimbabwe at 4:23pm.
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Pool B will provide another interesting battle, with last year’s runners-up Shogun drawn alongside French Renegades, Southern California Nomads and Wellington Jaguars.
The tournament will also give fans an opportunity to watch international players, with Scotland and French Renegades among the sides bringing experienced players to Nairobi. Scotland, in particular, are expected to provide a stern examination for Shujaa when the two sides meet on Saturday.
The women’s competition will be played on a round-robin basis, giving the participating teams several opportunities to test themselves throughout the tournament. Defending champions Kenya Lionesses will headline the women’s field, with Kenya Cubs, Uganda, Tunisia, TUKS Women and Junior Lionesses also involved.
The women’s action will actually get underway before the men’s matches on Friday, with Kenya Cubs facing Tunisia at 3:00pm. Uganda will then take on TUKS Women at 3:22pm before the Lionesses face the Junior Lionesses at 3:44pm.
With the men’s matches beginning shortly afterwards, rugby fans are set for a packed afternoon at Nyayo.
The opening men’s fixture will see Zimbabwe face Wonder 7s at 4:06pm, followed by the Morans’ encounter with GEL Squad 7s. French Renegades will then meet Wellington Jaguars before Shogun take on Southern California Nomads.
Uganda will face Scotland at 5:34pm, while Shujaa will close the opening round when they meet SportPesa Forward Legends at 5:56pm.
Saturday will provide an even bigger test as teams return for the second and third rounds of the men’s pool stage. The day’s action begins at 10:32am, with Zimbabwe taking on GEL Squad 7s, before Kenya Morans meet Wonder 7s at 10:57am.
Shujaa will then face Scotland at 12:37pm before their much-anticipated meeting with Uganda at 5:13pm.
The tournament is expected to provide more than just competition for the established national sides. With several international and invitational teams involved, Safari 7s will once again give players an opportunity to test themselves against different styles and levels of opposition.
The tournament also remains an important platform for developing Kenyan rugby, particularly with the involvement of the Morans, Cubs and Junior Lionesses alongside the senior national teams.
For Shujaa and the Lionesses, however, the immediate target will be clear — keep the trophies in Kenya.
2026 Safari 7s schedule
Friday, October 9 — Nyayo National Stadium
Women’s Round One
- 3:00pm — Kenya Cubs vs Tunisia
- 3:22pm — Uganda vs TUKS Women
- 3:44pm — Kenya Lionesses vs Junior Lionesses
Men’s Round One
- 4:06pm — Zimbabwe vs Wonder 7s
- 4:28pm — Kenya Morans vs GEL Squad 7s
- 4:50pm — French Renegades vs Wellington Jaguars
- 5:12pm — Shogun vs Southern California Nomads
- 5:34pm — Uganda vs Scotland
- 5:56pm — Kenya Shujaa vs SportPesa Forward Legends
Saturday, October 10 — Nyayo National Stadium
Men’s Round Two
- 10:32am — Zimbabwe vs GEL Squad 7s
- 10:57am — Kenya Morans vs Wonder 7s
- 11:22am — French Renegades vs Southern California Nomads
- 11:47am — Shogun vs Wellington Jaguars
- 12:12pm — Uganda vs SportPesa Forward Legends
- 12:37pm — Kenya Shujaa vs Scotland
Men’s Round Three
- 3:08pm — GEL Squad 7s vs Wonder 7s
- 3:33pm — Southern California Nomads vs Wellington Jaguars
- 3:58pm — SportPesa Forward Legends vs Scotland
- 4:23pm — Kenya Morans vs Zimbabwe
- 4:48pm — Shogun vs French Renegades
- 5:13pm — Kenya Shujaa vs Uganda
Teams taking part
Men’s competition
Pool A
- Kenya Shujaa
- Uganda
- SportPesa Forward 7s
- Scotland
Pool B
- Shogun
- French Renegades
- Southern California Nomads
- Wellington Jaguars
Pool C
- Kenya Morans
- Zimbabwe
- GEL Squad 7s
- Wonder 7s
Women’s competition
- Kenya Lionesses
- Kenya Cubs
- Junior Lionesses
- Uganda
- Tunisia
- TUKS Women