World Rugby has officially announced the return of Nairobi, Montevideo, and São Paulo as host cities for the 2027 HSBC SVNS 2 competition. The decision highlights World Rugby’s ongoing strategic push to expand the global footprint of international rugby sevens and consolidate the sport’s presence in key emerging markets across Africa and South America.
The three major urban hubs return to the global circuit following their role as host venues for the inaugural HSBC SVNS 2 competition in 2026. Their inclusion in the 2027 international calendar underlines their growing strategic importance within the restructured global sevens pyramid.
The 2027 series will kick off in East Africa, with Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, staging the opening round from January 23–24. The action will shift to South America for the second leg, hosted in Uruguay’s capital, Montevideo, on February 20–21 at the Estadio Charrúa. The tournament will conclude in São Paulo, Brazil, with the final leg scheduled for February 27–28 at the Nicolau Alayon Stadium.
A key highlight of the 2027 schedule is the shift in venue for the Nairobi tournament. After successfully hosting the inaugural 2026 leg at the historic Nyayo National Stadium, the Kenyan leg will transition to the newly constructed Talanta Sports Stadium. The modern venue will mark its international rugby debut, providing state-of-the-art facilities for visiting national squads and expanding capacity for Kenya’s passionate rugby fanbase.
The three-tournament schedule offers national teams a competitive arena to test their depth and fight for promotion into the elite tier of world rugby. Under the model introduced by World Rugby, SVNS 2 serves as a crucial bridge connecting lower-tier regional qualifiers to the premier, end-of-season HSBC SVNS World Championship Series. Top-performing sides across the three legs earn a spot in the primary championship, maintaining a direct pathway toward top-flight competition.
World Rugby Sevens World Series General Manager Sam Pinder emphasized the importance of the second-tier circuit in developing global talent and driving performance standards:
“We are delighted to confirm the return of Nairobi, Montevideo and São Paulo for HSBC SVNS 2 in 2027. 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.”
“With qualification for LA28 coming into focus, every stage of the pathway takes on even greater significance. We look forward to working with our host unions and partners to build on the success of last season and deliver three outstanding events for the teams and fans.”
The continuation of HSBC SVNS 2 forms part of a broader structural overhaul designed to broaden rugby sevens’ global commercial appeal and athletic reach. By bringing high-stakes international fixtures to traditional and non-traditional strongholds, World Rugby aims to build self-sustaining rugby ecosystems in developing regions.
