World Rugby has officially confirmed that Nairobi will host one of the three HSBC SVNS Division 2 tournaments in the 2026 season.
According to SportPesa Blog, Kenya’s bid first revealed in September 2025 has now been fully approved following a successful inspection by World Rugby officials who visited the country to assess facilities and preparedness. Their assessment paved the way for the announcement made during the official launch of the HSBC SVNS 2026 season in Dubai.
Nairobi will stage the opening leg of the series on 14–15 February 2026 at the Nyayo National Stadium, with SportPesa Blog also reporting that the event will be branded as the HSBC Nairobi Sevens. The global tour will then proceed to Montevideo, Uruguay (21–22 March), and conclude in Sao Paulo, Brazil (28–29 March).
The new SVNS Division 2 structure features six teams per gender, competing across all three legs. At the end of the series, the top four teams will advance to the SVNS World Championship, where they’ll join eight teams from Division 1 for the final three events of the season in Hong Kong, Valladolid, and Bordeaux.
From those 12 teams, the top eight will earn promotion to Division 1 for the 2027 SVNS campaign.
Both Kenyan sides Shujaa (men) and the Lionesses (women) are confirmed participants in the 2026 Division 2 competition, setting the stage for a high-stakes home outing as they push to reclaim top-tier status.
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