Nepal to Host Asia Rugby’s Biggest Tournament in 2024: The Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy
The stage is set for one of Asia’s most competitive rugby tournaments, the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy, which will kick off on 4th October 2024 in Kathmandu, Nepal. The tournament will feature 14 men’s teams and 8 women’s teams, representing all five sub-regions of Asia. This two-day event promises intense competition as teams vie for promotion to the prestigious Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series 2025.
Originally planned as two separate events, the Asia Rugby Sevens Emirates Challenge and Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy, the decision to merge the tournaments was made due to a few teams withdrawing and to foster a more competitive environment. This change ensures that every participating team has an equal shot at securing promotion to the Emirates Sevens Series. The men’s competition, originally set for 12 teams, now includes 14.
The 17 participating nations collectively represent 2.5 billion people and over 1.2 billion social media users, demonstrating the widespread reach and importance of this tournament. The men’s teams competing include Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Chinese Taipei, India, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, and Uzbekistan. The women’s teams are Guam, India, Indonesia, Iran, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Uzbekistan.
This year’s tournament is set to be particularly exciting, with teams like Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Chinese Taipei (men) and Philippines and Sri Lanka (women), all of whom have been regulars on the main Asia Rugby Sevens Series circuit and with the return of semi-finalists from last year. Emerging teams such as Afghanistan, Bahrain and Kazakhstan (men), Iran, and India (women) have the potential to shake things up and add an extra layer of unpredictability to the competition.
Men’s Rugby Sevens will feature in next year’s South Asian Federation (SAF) Games, scheduled to take place in Pakistan, marking a significant milestone for the sport in the region. This makes the 2024 Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy an even more crucial event, as all South Asian teams are set to participate, adding to the historical significance of the tournament. It will be the first time Rugby Sevens will be contested at the SAF Games, underscoring the growing importance of rugby in South Asia.
The Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy will be held at the Dasarath Rangasala Stadium in the picturesque Kathmandu Valley. Both the men’s and women’s champions will secure their spots in the 2025 Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series, creating a clear pathway for emerging teams to join the ranks of Asia’s rugby elite.
Asia Rugby President, Qais Al Dhalai, expressed his enthusiasm: “We are excited to witness history as the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy takes place in Kathmandu, Nepal. This is a monumental event for the Nepal Rugby Association, as they host their first-ever senior sevens tournament. Nepal has demonstrated its capability through the successful organization of age-grade tournaments—the U18 Sevens in 2022 and the U20 Sevens in 2023. We are thrilled to return to Nepal and support the continued growth of rugby in the country and the region.”
Beyond its significance for Asia Rugby, this tournament also serves as a pathway to the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Series. The top-performing teams in 2025 will qualify for the World Rugby Challenger Series, offering a global stage for Asia’s best.
Fans can catch all the action live on Asia Rugby’s YouTube and Facebook channels, with the promise of unforgettable moments in this landmark event for Asian rugby.
