The reigning champions are coming home. World Rugby has officially announced the schedule for the 2026/2027 World Series, confirming that the Springbok Sevens will defend their title at the HSBC SVNS Cape Town on 5 and 6 December 2026.
The spectacular weekend at the iconic DHL Stadium has earned a reputation as the official start of the South African summer, combining elite international sport with world-class entertainment. The Cape Town spectacular remains the second stop on the global tour, kicking off immediately after the season opener at the Dubai Sevens in late November.
The upcoming season also carries massive stakes. Beyond the race for the circuit title, the tournament introduces the crucial added incentive of Olympic qualification, with teams beginning their long-term pathways to earn automatic quota spots for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
South Africa's globe-trotting Blitzboks dominated the previous campaign, famously lifting both the overall HSBC SVNS Series trophy and the World Championship title. Now, they head to the Mother City hunting for a historic hat-trick of home tournament victories in front of what is expected to be a sold-out local crowd. [1, 2]
Adding to the local flavour, newly crowned HSBC SVNS World Men’s Player of the Year Tristan Leyds will spearhead the home side. The brilliant Blitzbok playmaker is one of several Western Cape local heroes within the national squad, promising a major extra drawcard for local supporters.
The newly released schedule consists of six regular-season series stops, followed by the definitive three-part World Championship finals series across Asia and Europe where the ultimate champions will be crowned:
Regular Series Stops:
* Dubai, UAE – 28–29 November 2026
* Cape Town, South Africa – 5–6 December 2026
* Singapore – 30–31 January 2027
* Perth, Australia – 6–7 February 2027
* Vancouver, Canada – 6–7 March 2027
* New York, USA – 13–14 March 2027 [1]
HSBC SVNS World Championship Finals:
* Hong Kong, China (Finals Leg 1) – 9–11 April 2027
* Valladolid, Spain (Finals Leg 2) – 21–23 May 2027
* Bordeaux, France (Grand Finale) – 28–30 May 2027