Ultimate Sevens, the new global rugby sevens championship launching in September 2026, backed by BIA Sports Group, has confirmed a range of updates ahead of its inaugural season.
Announced at the launch event at Gtech Community Stadium, Managing Director Barney Pascall confirmed that, in line with the regulations set out to govern the sanctioning process for an international, elite cross-border competition, Ultimate Sevens has been approved by World Rugby. He went on to confirm that Ultimate Sevens is working collaboratively with the governing body to fulfil these terms and to optimise its launch in September 2026. As a private organisation, the recognition from World Rugby reinforces the positive impact both parties believe it can have on the wider rugby ecosystem.
The championship, designed to deliver fast paced, high‑impact rugby sevens action will take place in iconic sporting locations across Europe in season one, with the Grand Final taking place in London at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium – bringing the sport to global audiences.
Taking part in the championship will be the six founding clubs, each with individual identities that represent key global rugby regions. Each club will have a men’s and women’s team, with the championships running in tandem at each location. The clubs set to compete in season one are:
- Albion Athletic Sevens Club
- Atlantic Novas Sevens Club
- Foudre Bleue Sevens Club
- Pacific Current Sevens Club
- Clan Taran Sevens Club
- Sol Feroz Sevens Club
The championship’s official approval by World Rugby follows a collaborative engagement process and provides formal recognition of Ultimate Sevens’ competitive framework, player welfare standards and operational credibility, allowing contracted athletes to compete within the global rugby ecosystem.
Ultimate Sevens has also confirmed that more than half of the playing roster have already been contracted, as the championship attracts top-tier international rugby sevens talent, including Abbie Brown, Henry Hutchison, Lucas Lacamp, Krissy Scurfield and Thalia Costa.
Ultimate Sevens is committed to recruiting the world’s best men’s and women’s players, reinforcing the sports gender parity, combining Olympians, established internationals and breakout stars from the HSBC SVNS World Series in a format built to elevate their skill, speed and athleticism. Each club will feature marquee players, while the remaining pool of players will be selected at the inaugural Ultimate Sevens Draft taking place in July. Clubs will also feature Ultimate Rugby Sevens Academy graduates, with plans to build new academies across the world in the coming years.
Promising a high-octane, electrifying competition, Ultimate Sevens is introducing sporting innovations including; 10-minute non-stop games, dynamic try conversions, and tactical timeouts per team. All innovations promise to deliver a best-in-class player and fan experience both in the stadium and watching at home.
Ultimate Sevens is being supported by a collective of commercial Playmakers, including Reebok as official kit partner announced earlier this week. Playmakers are the championship’s partners who are leading the way in their respective industries, united by a commitment to elevate rugby sevens from grassroots through to the professional stage.
Barney Pascall, Managing Director of Ultimate Sevens, said: “Today is a defining moment for Ultimate Sevens. World Rugby approval confirms that we are not just a challenger offering, that the sport desperately needs, but a serious global championship here to capture the attention of new audiences and built with the sport’s long-term future in mind.
“We’ve secured incredible host city locations, committed the sport’s top athletes, and signed Playmaker partners who genuinely understand what we’re building. Ultimate Sevens is about elevating rugby sevens as a sport to give its world class players a global stage to perform, as well as providing fans an experience that is fast, bold and culturally relevant.”
Tom Mitchell, Sport & Innovation Director at Ultimate Sevens added: “From day one, we’ve designed Ultimate Sevens around the elements of the game which make sevens so compelling: speed, skill and constant jeopardy. Introducing new, unique innovations that make the experience better for fans and players alike, is what sets Ultimate Sevens apart.
We’re so excited to work with the world’s best athletes with the confidence that they can be part of this championship while also thriving in the wider Sevens ecosystem.”
The championship will combine elite competition with a modern, fan-first presentation, blending sport, music and culture to create a premium live and broadcast product tailored for today’s global audiences.
Further announcements, including full calendar, tickets, players and broadcast details, will be revealed in the coming weeks as Ultimate Sevens builds towards its first event this year.
