Hong Kong’s prospects of rejoining the elite ranks of international rugby sevens competition appear tied to their on-field results, according to a senior official from World Rugby. While the city could be invited back to compete alongside top-tier teams at the renowned Hong Kong Sevens within the next three years, its current absence from the highest levels reflects recent performance outcomes and broader structural changes in the sport’s competitive framework.

Sam Pinder, World Rugby’s general manager for sevens, emphasized that advancement in the sevens circuit is merit-based. Following a recent overhaul of the competition format, Hong Kong was eliminated in the semifinals of the third-tier HSBC SVNS 3 tournament in January. This result left the team with a sparse schedule, with their next major engagement being the Asian Games in October, apart from their participation in the recent exhibition Melrose Claymores tournament held at the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens.

Pinder explained that the restructuring aimed to balance financial sustainability and developmental pathways by limiting the core series to eight permanent teams competing across six regular-season events. This core set is supplemented by four teams promoted from the secondary tier for a concluding three-leg world championship. The current model is locked in through at least the 2028 Olympic cycle. He noted that teams performing well in regional competitions, such as the Asian Sevens Series, maintain avenues for progression into global events.

“The better you perform, the more likely you are to reach the next stages,” Pinder said, underscoring that Hong Kong continues to benefit from development opportunities through its regional commitments and support from the Hong Kong Sports Institute.

The decision to cut the core series participants from 16 in 2023-24 to 12 last season, and now eight, was partly driven by the high costs linked to hosting large international tournaments featuring 24 teams. Pinder highlighted that reducing team numbers enhances the sport’s financial viability, enabling World Rugby to at least break even while maintaining competitive integrity.

Contrasting viewpoints have emerged regarding the impact of these structural changes. Impi Visser, captain of South Africa—the dominant world champions and recent Hong Kong Sevens victors—criticized the new format, suggesting it has dampened the sport’s growth and caused confusion among fans.

Looking ahead, Pinder indicated that World Rugby may reconsider allowing invited teams to participate in elite series events beyond the Olympic cycle, noting the advantage of home crowd enthusiasm that invited teams historically helped generate.

Pinder also referenced Ireland’s choice to suspend its men’s sevens program following relegation, attributing such decisions to individual unions’ budget priorities and strategic investments. He stressed that Hong Kong benefits from government-backed sports funding, which supports its ongoing participation and development.

With roughly 550,000 fans attending rugby sevens at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Pinder affirmed World Rugby’s commitment to expanding the sport’s profile. Former Scotland scrum-half Pinder highlighted the importance of leveraging Olympic exposure, saying the organization plans to build upon the success of Paris as it prepares for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, aiming to secure rugby sevens’ place on the international sporting stage.