World Rugby unveils new championship format

In sport, change is never far off, and so it has proved for the world of Rugby Sevens, as World Rugby announced Thursday, it will introduce a new sevens structure in 2025/26 season.

The new format will have a three-division regular season and an increased number of events in a bid to make it cost-effective and more competitive, the sport's governing body said on Thursday.

The updated model will expand the calendar from 10 to 13 tournaments starting next year, with the primary aim of the overhaul being to boost rugby sevens' global reach ahead of the LA 2028 Olympics.

The season will conclude with three high-profile World Championship Series events, each featuring 12 men's and women's teams, to crown the annual world champions.

Rugby sevens was played at the Olympics for the first time at the 2016 Rio Games, with both men's and women's contests.

World Rugby Sevens General Manager Sam Pinder said that £10 million ( Sh1.72 billion) will be invested annually to grow the game, with a large proportion allocated to team participation fees.

"While change can be difficult, this is an evolution that ultimately secures the sustainable advancement of a sport that has proven to be a hit at the Olympic Games, showcasing some of the most gifted athletes on the planet," he said.

The new structure, though, was met with angst in some quarters, with coaches and fans alike finding the new system to be unlikeable.

Former England, Kenya, and USA Sevens coach Mike Friday was not enthused about the new structure.

"A PowerPoint competition that looks pretty in theory on paper, definitely not expanded and in reality a disaster for all Tier 2 and Tier 3 players and programs and offers anything but a clear pathway," he said on his X page.

"The gap (between the best eight nations and the rest) will just get wider, so all the select Tier 1 unions can invest less money in 7’s and still remain at the Top 7’s table."

"Shame on you, World Rugby, the format isn’t the issue, it’s your event strategy and 7’s leadership who are not fit for purpose," he ranted.

The Kenya Rugby Union is yet to comment on the new structure, which will likely see the Kenya Sevens team Shujaa face more second-tier competition next season, as compared to this one and previous years.

This weekend, the 2024/25 season ends in Los Angeles, with all core and second-tier teams participating in the grand finale to determine who wins the overall titles for the season in both the men's and women's segments.