Mathieu Warnier, Media365, published on Thursday 01 May 2025 at 9:40 p.m.
World Rugby announced a real transformation of the world rugby circuit at 7 which will be implemented in the 2026 season in order to further grow the discipline for the Los Angeles summer games in 2028.
World Rugby does not intend to fall asleep on his laurels. While the Olympic Rugby Olympic tournament organized last summer in Paris turned out to be very popular, the worldwide has decided to review in depth the operation of its global SVNS circuit from 2026. A new format whose avowed objective is to “ensure long -term financial viability and increase the global scope of seven rugby” for the next summer games organized in Los Angeles in 2028. That the current version of the global circuit is based on two divisions, the SVNS and the Challenger Series with a promotion-relegation system, it will now be a question of three divisions. While twelve male and female teams are invited to each of the six stages of the circuit this year, this number will increase to eight on a set of six tournaments organized over two days concerning division 1 in order to allow “a more agile and more profitable course while strengthening competitiveness, the interest of fans and the value of retransmissions”. Division 2 will bring together six male and female teams during three separate tournaments when division 3 consists of a single tournament for which the qualification will be played during continental events. The promotion/relegation system remains in force. Indeed, the best four male and female teams of Division 2 will go into division 1.
A format that “offers greater certainty to federations”
The two best male and female teams of division 3 will access the directly higher level. At the end of this first competition phase, the eight best division 1 teams as well as the best four in division 2 will be invited to participate in the world championship, which will be organized on three separate tournaments to designate the big winner of the season. A new format that should sound the world cup from the World Cup usually organized every four years. World Rugby will use the results of the 2025 season to establish the composition of each divisions for the first edition of this new format. Consequently, the eight teams that will participate in the grand finale organized this weekend in Los Angeles will integrate division 1. The classified teams from 9th to 12th place at the end of the dams organized in California into these same dates will integrate division 2 when those which will finish between the 13th and 16th place will have to participate in regional qualifications. “This revamped model offers greater certainty to the federations thanks to a greater number of events, increased competitiveness, more numerous development opportunities than ever and, above all, a financially viable event ecosystem which draws a clear path for the future of rugby at 7 international”, assures in a press release Sam Pinder, Managing Director of World Rugby Sevens.
