Justin M. Fitzpatrick
The roar in Cape Town. The samba rhythm in Rio. The flags of a dozen nations fluttering in wild unison as a Fijian sidestep leaves defenders grasping air and fans gasping.
This was the World Rugby Sevens Series at its vibrant peak, a travelling carnival of pace, power and cultural celebration. Born in 1999 and supercharged by the Olympic dream, it was rugby’s answer to Formula 1: a high-octane global tour with marquee stops, signature stars, and a format made for the modern attention span.
But now, Sevens faces a drastic reshaping. What was once a vibrant, globe-spanning festival is being compressed, streamlined and in some eyes, sidelined.
From 16 to 8: A Radical Restructure
The men’s series, which once featured 16 core teams across 10 stops, will shrink to just eight core nations for the 2025–26 season. The women’s circuit follows suit.
World Rugby calls it a “strategic reset,” designed for sustainability in a changing broadcast and sponsorship environment. Critics call it a retreat, a contraction at the exact moment the sport had started to transcend its traditional boundaries.
“We’re not just losing teams, we’re losing identities,” says former Kenya Sevens captain Andrew Amonde. “For many of us, Sevens wasn’t a stepping stone. It was the destination.”
Behind the Cuts: COVID Hangover and Olympic Calculus
The root of the restructuring lies in a post-pandemic world of tightened belts and recalibrated priorities.
With live gates decimated and broadcast returns diminished, Sevens became a costly asset. By 2021, the Series was reportedly running at a £20 million annual deficit, with World Rugby shouldering the burden.
The Olympic effect only compounded the shift. Sevens’ inclusion in the 2016 Games transformed it into a medal-chasing tool. Federations increasingly focused on quadrennial peaks rather than year-round performance. The Series, once a global ambassadorial tour, became secondary to a single-stage showcase.
“The Olympics gave Sevens legitimacy. But it also boxed it in,” notes former USA Rugby CEO Ross Young. “You can’t build a global sport on a four-year heartbeat.”
Global Growth, Local Losses
Nowhere are the cuts felt more deeply than in rugby’s emerging strongholds.
Kenya, a fan favorite known for raw athleticism and flair, is among the sides bumped out. Uruguay, who upset several Tier 1 nations last season, finds itself relegated. Even Canada, a host and regular contender, faces an uncertain future.
These aren’t just teams. They’re ecosystems, from grassroots school programs to Olympic prep centers. Removal from the Series threatens to choke off funding, discourage youth participation, and stall the sport’s growth outside its traditional power bases.
“Sevens gave countries like ours a seat at the table,” says Uruguay’s head coach Ivo Dugonjic. “Now the door is closing and we’re being asked to wait in the hallway.”
When the World Came to Watch
The Sevens Series was once a passport of prestige and culture:
- Hong Kong, the crown jewel, where 40,000 fans in costume turned the South Stand into rugby’s wildest theatre
- Dubai, a December desert spectacle under golden lights
- Cape Town, where the rhythm of the crowd matched the rhythm of the game
- Las Vegas, Vancouver, London, Singapore each venue a different flavor, each stop part of a global narrative
But the new format will cut venues alongside teams. The aim: fewer stops, higher stakes, and streamlined costs. But at what price?
“You don’t grow the game by making it smaller,” remarked former All Black Sevens captain DJ Forbes on New Zealand radio. “You grow it by investing in the edges, where new stories begin.”
The Women’s Game: Momentum at Risk
The women’s Sevens movement had begun to carve its own trail. Olympic stars like Charlotte Caslick and Portia Woodman helped push the narrative beyond parity, toward excellence.
But that progress now faces a familiar ceiling.
The reduction in core teams will hit developing nations hardest: Brazil, Japan, China, and Poland sides that had begun building visibility, now risk slipping into obscurity.
It’s a structural bottleneck that favors medal contenders and marginalizes dreamers.
“We were finally being seen,” said Brazil Sevens captain Luiza Campos. “And now we’re being told, ‘Wait your turn.’ Again.”
The Playoff Problem
To soften the blow, World Rugby has introduced a promotion-relegation system: four non-core nations will be rotated in each season, with a Challenger Series acting as the proving ground.
But the system offers little permanence. Teams may ascend briefly only to fall again, trapped in a revolving door without meaningful security or development guarantees.
What’s Next for Sevens?
Rugby Sevens has always been a paradox: smaller teams, faster games—but larger ambitions. It was the sport’s most adaptable, accessible format. It reached parts of the world the 15-a-side game couldn’t—and maybe never will.
The new model may offer stability for the few. But in doing so, it risks erasing the very qualities that made Sevens magical.
The drums may still thump in Hong Kong. But fewer nations will dance to their rhythm.
Rugby Sevens gave the world a glimpse of a truly global game. Are we now watching the lights dim on its greatest stage?
Share your thoughts. Should Sevens be trimmed for profit, or expanded for purpose?
Justin, I am heartbroken about this. Paris was brilliant and now its being forgotten. Ireland has never really gotten on board (we have very few 7’s Festival’s).
The Irish men went from the bottom to the top only to now be going back to the bottom. Very sad. Kieran
Stupid, thoughtless, ham fisted. As usual rugby unions, as with 15s law changes have ruined something special.