World Rugby confirms Nairobi, Montevideo and São Paulo to host HSBC SVNS 2 in 2027

World Rugby has confirmed that Nairobi, Montevideo and São Paulo will host the three legs of the HSBC SVNS 2 competition in January and February 2027, with the schedule offering a direct qualification pathway to the LA28 Olympics.

The opening round takes place on 23-24 January at Nairobi’s Talanta Sports Stadium, a new 60,000-capacity venue in Kenya that is also expected to host fixtures at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. The competition then moves to Estadio Charrua in Montevideo on 20-21 February before concluding at Nicolau Alayon Stadium in São Paulo on 27-28 February. The Uruguayan and Brazilian venues are unchanged from the previous season; Nairobi’s Talanta Sports Stadium replaces the city’s previous host ground as the only change to the lineup.

HSBC SVNS 2 gives six men’s and six women’s teams the chance to compete for places at the HSBC SVNS World Championship. The top four finishers in each competition advance to World Championship events, where a top-eight finish opens the door to a place on the full HSBC SVNS Series.

The stakes are heightened by the Olympic qualification picture. World Rugby confirmed in September that the top four men’s and women’s teams at the end of the HSBC SVNS World Championship in 2027 will earn automatic berths at LA28. A further six men’s and six women’s teams will qualify through regional qualifiers, with one team in each draw securing their place via the Olympic Repechage in June 2028.

Last week it was confirmed that Hong Kong, Valladolid and Bordeaux will host the HSBC SVNS World Championship events in 2027, completing the broader competitive calendar for the sevens pathway.

Sam Pinder, World Rugby Sevens World Series General Manager, said the announcement builds on momentum from last season. “Last season demonstrated the importance of this competition in providing teams with a clear and highly competitive pathway to the HSBC SVNS World Championship, while bringing international sevens to passionate rugby audiences around the world,” he said. “With qualification for LA28 coming into focus, every stage of the pathway takes on even greater significance.”

HSBC SVNS 2 schedule 2027

• 23-24 January: Nairobi, Kenya — Talanta Sports Stadium
• 20-21 February: Montevideo, Uruguay — Estadio Charrua
• 27-28 February: São Paulo, Brazil — Nicolau Alayon Stadium