The last weekend in March marked the first-ever Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens at its new home at the Kai Tak Stadium in Kowloon Bay.
After over 30 years at the Hong Kong Government Stadium in So Kon Po, questions were inevitably raised about how Hong Kong’s most endearing event would transition to its gleaming and ultra-modern new home across Hong Kong’s impressive Victoria Harbour.
Three fun-filled days; 72 matches; one first time men’s champion in Argentina; and more than 140,000 pints later, and all doubts were dispelled as the city was left celebrating a record-breaking Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens and an amazing new home for sports and entertainment.
Among the many highlights of the weekend was some passionate rugby from Argentina men – breaking through after two previous trips to the final to beat France and lift the Hong Kong cup for the first time – and New Zealand’s women, who continued to exemplify power and poise as they romped to a third straight Hong Kong title, extending their dominance of the women’s event in Hong Kong.
“We are thrilled to have concluded a successful move for the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens to our new home at Kai Tak Stadium,” said James Farndon, CEO of organisers Hong Kong China Rugby.
“Despite the customary teething issues around any move, our first playing at Kai Tak was a great success and the event’s vibrancy and excitement have proven to be the perfect accompaniment to Hong Kong’s newest and ultra-modern stage at Kai Tak.
“With the dust settling, and our athletes and visitors having now returned to all parts of the world, Hong Kong China Rugby would like to express its sincere appreciation to our long-time sponsors Cathay and HSBC and our partners at Kai Tak and within Government, for their unstinting support. Most especially we would like to thank the fans from near and far for their support; they will always remain the lifeblood of the Hong Kong Sevens.
“Excitingly, we have only started to explore the potential of the Sevens at Kai Tak, and we look forward to an even bigger and better show in 2026,” added Farndon.
The first-ever Sevens at Kai Tak also drew the luminaries of World Rugby to town once again starting with World Rugby Chairman Brett Robinson and Chief Executive Officer Alan Gilpin and on to some of the legends of the game including, of course, the little magician and perhaps the world’s most famous sevens player, Waisale Serevi from Fiji. They all left town thinking of the exciting possibilities ahead.
“We're thrilled with the stadium,” said Robinson. “It's an amazing centrepiece for the city and I think it's just amazing for rugby. Looking into the future, what other events could come here outside of the sevens? In the past, we have had Bledisloe Cups played up this way, and I think for all the member unions, there's a real challenge about the quality of what they could do here if they wanted to.”
Hong Kong China Rugby were equal to the task as well with both men’s and women’s teams winning their competitions in an emphatic statement that they deserve to share the field with the Series sides.
Most impressively, the fans responded to the first event at Kai Tak, making the Sevens once again their home by settling straight into the re-imagined South Stand.
Record ticket sales were reached ahead of kick-off with over 43,000 three-day ticket packages sold in 2025, the most in the tournament’s 40-year plus history. Tournament attendance figures topped 110,000 for a nearly 15% increase from 2024, with over 30,000 international visitors welcomed across the weekend.
Event community partner the Hong Kong Jockey Club hosted a further 4,552 youths from community and charity groups to experience the first Sevens at Kai Tak, while more than 3,000 registered youth and mini rugby players took part in junior events and the famous March Past during the weekend.
The spectators were treated to non-stop entertainment with in-stadium performances from UK rockers Kaiser Chiefs, DJ Pete Tong and the inimitable Gala; outside, dozens more bands, DJs and dance troupes entertained visitors in the inaugural Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens Fan Village which drew 54,697 visitors over the weekend.
Over 350,000 food and beverage items were consumed across the festival, as Hong Kong again cemented its reputation as hosts of the world’s biggest rugby party.
There was also near unanimous acclaim for the event and its new home from the 465 media accredited from 25 countries and territories and representing over 145 media platforms worldwide.
But nothing symbolised the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens’ attainment of new heights in 2025 more than a very special fly-past from a Cathay A350 plane through Victoria Harbour at 1,100 feet. The plane’s famous livery was strikingly visible through Kai Tak Stadium’s primary architectural feature of a glass viewing window at the Southern Terrace end on Sunday.
The historic fly-past was the perfect way to commemorate Kai Tak’s previous life as the location of the Hong Kong Airport – and its centenary year in 2025, while marking the amazing potential of Kai Tak Sports Park and its prime tenant, the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, in the future.
With government stakeholders and partners fully aligned the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens and Hong Kong’s sporting scene are on the launchpad to reach new heights.
The Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens is proud of being an “M” Mark event that helps enhance the image of Hong Kong as Asia’s sports event capital. The “M” Mark awarded by the Major Sports Events Committee, symbolises intense, spectacular and signature events in the territory’s sports calendar.
