Reason behind Africa Men’s Sevens tournament postponement revealed

The 2026 Africa Men’s Sevens Championship has been postponed following growing concerns over the Ebola outbreak affecting parts of Africa, organisers have announced.

The tournament had been scheduled to take place from Saturday, 20 to Sunday, 21 June at the SPARC Complex in Cascavelle, Mauritius, with 12 nations, including Kenya Morans set to battle for continental honours.

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In a statement released on Friday, 12 June, the Mauritius Rugby Federation confirmed that the decision had been taken under force majeure circumstances following recent public health guidance related to the evolving Ebola situation in the region.

“The Mauritius Rugby Federation regrets to announce the postponement of the Official Africa Men’s Sevens Series 2026, originally scheduled for 20-21 June at the SPARC complex in Cascavelle,” the statement read.

The federation explained that the move was aimed at safeguarding players, match officials and the Mauritian community while authorities continue to assess the public health situation.

The latest development comes just two days after Uganda Rugby announced that the Rugby Cranes Sevens would not participate, in the tournament, due to travel restrictions imposed by Mauritius on travellers arriving from Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan.

Uganda had cited the restrictions as a consequence of the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the region, which has seen the country record 19 confirmed cases and two deaths as of June 2026.

The wider outbreak, which originated in neighbouring DRC, has been classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

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Following Uganda’s withdrawal, organisers had announced that Senegal would replace the Rugby Cranes in Pool B.

However, the postponement means the tournament draw and participation arrangements could yet be revised depending on the new dates.

The Mauritius Rugby Federation was keen to stress that the decision was purely precautionary.

“There are no reported cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) among any participating teams, tournament staff, or within Mauritius,” the organisers said.

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They also clarified that the competition has not been cancelled and that discussions are ongoing with Rugby Africa, World Rugby and the Mauritius Government to identify alternative dates.

“Postponement, not cancellation: We are actively working with Rugby Africa, World Rugby, and the Mauritius Government to evaluate alternative dates,” the statement added.

The postponement is a significant setback for participating nations that had already entered the final stages of preparation, including Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Madagascar.

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Kenya had been drawn in Pool C alongside Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso and Morocco, while hosts Mauritius were set to face South Africa, Zambia and Nigeria in Pool A.

Pool B originally featured Madagascar, Uganda, Ghana and Tunisia before Uganda’s withdrawal and Senegal’s inclusion.

The tournament was expected to serve as one of the continent’s premier sevens events and an important platform for teams seeking qualification opportunities on the international stage.

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Organisers have promised to communicate revised dates and logistical arrangements once consultations with the relevant stakeholders are concluded.

“We share in the deep disappointment this causes for our fans, sponsors and athletes, and we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience,” the statement concluded.