CONFIRMED: Kenya Sevens suffer automatic relegation after HSBC SVNS changes format
.jpg)
Reading Time: 3min | Thu. 01.05.25. | 20:47
The new model will reduce the number of core teams from 12 to just eight per gender, marking a major shift in the global rugby sevens landscape.
Kenya Sevens men's national team, Shujaa, have officially been relegated from the HSBC SVNS following a structural shake-up confirmed by World Rugby on Thursday, 1 May.
Follow our WhatsApp channel for more news
The new model will reduce the number of core teams from 12 to just eight per gender, marking a major shift in the global rugby sevens landscape.
Despite a valiant performance at the Singapore 7s, where Shujaa reached the final and narrowly lost 21-12 to Fiji after leading 7-0 at halftime, the points earned were not enough to salvage their position in the top tier.
Kenya bagged 18 points in Singapore, their best return since rejoining the series, but it brought their season total to only 36, well behind the 50 points tallied by Great Britain, who closed the top eight.
Kenya’s campaign prior to Singapore had been turbulent, with just eight points from Cape Town and a string of underwhelming performances in Dubai, Perth, Hong Kong, and Vancouver yielding a combined 10 points.
Heading into the final leg, their relegation was all but confirmed, regardless of the Singapore outcome.
Under the restructured format, the top eight teams after the Singapore leg will now battle for the 2025 HSBC SVNS World Championship in Los Angeles and automatically become the Division 1 core teams for the 2026 season.
Kenya, having finished outside that elite bracket, are now headed for a promotion-relegation playoff against the top four teams from the Challenger Series.
The relegation comes as part of World Rugby’s broader overhaul of the series, designed to ensure long-term sustainability and global expansion of the game in the build-up to the LA 2028 Olympics.
Key features of the new HSBC SVNS model:
Three-division regular season:
◾Division 1 – Eight men’s and eight women’s teams compete in six high-impact SVNS Series events.
◾Division 2 – Six teams per gender compete in a second division across three events.
◾Division 3 – A standalone Challenger event with eight teams per gender, qualifying from regional competitions.
◾Season finale to determine world champion: Three blockbuster SVNS World Championship Series events with the top 12 men’s and women’s teams (eight from Division 1, four from Division 2).
◾Integrated tournaments with equal participation fees and representation for men’s and women’s teams.
â—¾Defined progression pathway: Teams can advance from regional qualifiers to global championship contention in a single season.
â—¾Expanded calendar: 13 tournaments across the HSBC SVNS 2026 season, delivering more opportunity and exposure.
With the bottom four teams from the 2024/25 season, Kenya, Uruguay, Ireland, and the USA, now facing off against Challenger Series hopefuls, the stakes in Los Angeles will be immense.
The teams that finish 9th to 12th in the LA playoff will qualify for Division 2 next season, while those ranked 13th to 16th will drop to their respective regional qualifying circuits for a chance to climb back up.
The 2025 HSBC SVNS World Championship and Playoffs will take place at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles from Saturday, 3 to Sunday, 4 May.
