Rugby Africa has unveiled a revised format for the 2026 Africa Men’s 7s Series, confirming that this year’s continental competition will be staged through two separate tournaments following the postponement of the original championship that had been scheduled for Mauritius in June.
The new structure, approved by the Rugby Africa Executive Committee, will comprise the SVNS 3 2026/2027 Africa Qualifiers in Uganda and the Mauritius Sevens Tournament 2026, creating a pathway that balances qualification for the global sevens circuit with continental competition.
The move follows the postponement of the Africa Men’s 7s Championship due to concerns surrounding the Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa, with Rugby Africa now aiming to provide more competitive opportunities while maintaining a clear pathway to international rugby.
Uganda to Host SVNS 3 Qualifiers
The first event, the SVNS 3 2026/2027 Africa Qualifiers, will be held in Uganda on 26-27 September 2026 under the hosting of the Uganda Rugby Union.
Six nations will compete for Africa’s qualification spot to the World Rugby SVNS 3 2027 competition: Uganda (Hosts), Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana and Tunisia
Only the tournament winner will secure Africa’s place in the World Rugby SVNS 3 competition.
Besides qualification, the event will also determine the continent’s rankings from third to eighth. The champions will finish the year as Africa’s third-ranked men’s sevens nation, while the last-placed side will occupy eighth place.
EDITOR’S PICKS:
- List of rugby prospects from high school
- Colman Were keen to redefine Kenyan rugby’s physical edge
- Follow Scrummage Africa on Facebook
- Collins Injera inducted into Fiji’s Rugby Town Walk of Fam
A week later, the Mauritius Sevens Tournament 2026 will take place on 3-4 October in Mauritius.
The eight-team invitational tournament will feature: South Africa, Kenya, Mauritius (Hosts), Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Morocco, Senegal and To Be Confirmed.
While the tournament will crown its own champions, it will not affect the top two positions in the continental rankings.
Kenya and South Africa Retain Top Rankings
Rugby Africa also confirmed the framework that will determine the final Africa Men’s Sevens Rankings for 2026.
Kenya and South Africa will automatically retain the continent’s first and second rankings respectively, irrespective of their performances in Mauritius, owing to their participation in the global World Rugby SVNS pathway.
The Uganda qualifiers will determine positions three to eight, while teams competing in Mauritius will be ranked from ninth to thirteenth based on their final standings, with the tournament winners finishing ninth overall.
