HSBC SVNS eight-city global series to launch in Dubai in December 2023

HSBC SVNS, World Rugby’s revamped and rebranded global celebration of rugby sevens across eight iconic cities has been launched as a rugby event, festival and a must-attend experience set in some of the world’s most exciting locations, starting in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

With a bold ambition to supercharge rugby’s global reach and appeal, HSBC SVNS aims to deliver the ultimate in immersive experiences, a unique festival of sport, entertainment and culture set against stunning backdrops.

Launching in Dubai in December 2023, HSBC SVNS festivals will provide the annual platform for the world’s best sevens athletes to shine with 12 men’s and women’s teams sharing a global stage at the same location.

Simon Calder, Deputy CEO & Chief Operating Officer for HSBC UAE, said: “Through many years of working closely with World Rugby to showcase and support the sport around the world, HSBC has become synonymous with the World Rugby Sevens. The commitment we are making to rugby here in the UAE ensures that a global tournament with a huge international following remains an anchor point of the world sporting calendar. We have partnered with Emirates and World Rugby to make the Dubai tournament a success since 2010 and, with this new commitment that extends to 2027, we look forward to helping the sport continue to reach even greater heights.”

Under the new model, SVNS delivers gender parity with all seven rounds and the Grand Final featuring combined men’s and women’s competitions and equal participation fees, with a 70 per cent uplift in World Rugby’s investment in participation fees as a commitment to sustainable growth.

Mohamed Al Zaabi, General Secretary of the UAE Rugby Federation, said: “HSBC's unwavering support for grassroots rugby has been integral in raising the profile of the sport in the UAE, as well as being a direct contributor to making it more accessible and popular since the early launch of the Player Pathway Program back in 2011.”

“This partnership has, over the past five years, (excluding the pandemic period) seen an average of 100,000 Emirati school children, male and female, participate in the program annually. We are proud and encouraged by the success of the program in our Emirati schools over the past 12-years, and look forward to continuing to build on our fruitful relationship with HSBC.”