The 2024/25 HSBC SVNS Series has rolled into town for the coronation of the sparkling-new 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium.
With the most tickets ever sold at over 130,000, a record crowd at the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2025 will be treated to a weekend of action-packed music, excitement – and of intrigue.
Are we witnessing a seismic shift in the game, following France’s sensational Olympic gold on home soil last year?
On the men’s side of the equation, Argentina (68 points) are the season’s pacesetters and have seemingly found the consistency that has been for so long the missing ingredient needed to complement their famed flamboyant style.
Los Pumas arrive off of back-to-back tournament wins, following titles in Vancouver (beating South Africa 19-12) and, before that, in Perth (beating Australia 41-5).
They hold a four-point series lead over second-placed Spain, the ultimate in surprise packages, while two points further back sit customary powerhouses Fiji (gunning for a 20th Hong Kong title) and South Africa (incredibly, still searching for a first win in Hong Kong).
Old foes New Zealand (76 points) and Australia (70 points) are at it again in the women’s competition with the Black Ferns Sevens coming off their second tournament title for 2024/25 in Vancouver (41-7 over Fiji), to go with two second places this season.
With three rounds left, the 2024/25 HSBC SVNS is poised, delicately, and Hong Kong’s new stadium, the house that Sevens built with 20 changing rooms and a re-imagined South Stand as prominent architectural features, will open to fireworks – on and off pitch – with the title still up for grabs.
For the record – new attendance mark expected for Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens
The Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens’ famed fanatical spectators will be ready, with ticket sales pointing to the largest-ever crowd gathering for the inaugural staging of the tournament at the Kai Tak Stadium – part of a HK$30 billion Kai Tak Sports Park that will firmly establish Hong Kong as one of the world’s great sporting destinations.
An expected record three-day attendance of 139,000 will be here to party – and the people at Hong Kong China Rugby (HKCR) have ensured they can do just that, with a jam-packed schedule of entertainment to supplement all that action on the pitch.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board has declared “Hong Kong Super March” and the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens is doing its part to support – with international recording artists the Kaiser Chiefs, DJ Pete Tong and Gala performing on an 18-metre-wide stage overlooking the re-imagined South Stand at Kai Tak, and over 20 DJs, bands and dance troupes entertaining over the weekend in the event’s all-new Fan Village.
“We are extremely proud to be staging the debut international sports event at the magnificent Kai Tak Stadium, and in doing so marking another incredible milestone in the decades-long association between the rugby world and the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens,” said Mr Chris Brooke, Chairman of organisers Hong Kong China Rugby.
“The Sevens was first held almost fifty years ago and has grown in stature due to the efforts of many people over the years. As the custodians of the event, HKCR is now ready to host Hong Kong’s most iconic sporting event within the city’s much anticipated, state-of-the-art Kai Tak stadium. We feel very fortunate, via the hosting of the Sevens, to be able to help strengthen the role of Hong Kong as one of the world’s most vibrant and accessible destinations for major international events.
“It is fitting to note that, as we host one of the world’s great annual team sports events, this day has come about purely through a concerted team effort – between HKCR, World Rugby, Cathay and HSBC, Kai Tak Sports Park and the relevant Hong Kong government bodies. We have been planning this event for more than five years and are looking forward to showcasing the stadium and the Sevens to both local and international spectators and rugby fans.
“I am confident that the 2025 Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens will ring in the new stadium in suitable Sevens style,” Mr Brooke added.
And while the champions of the game thrill the tens of thousands out on the pitch, The Champion – one of the longest bars in Asia – will be serving it up inside the stadium, and helping fans toast the launch of the new “Home of Rugby Sevens.”
“Hong Kong has always been the World Cup of the game,” said former New Zealand Sevens captain and Sevens Hall of Famer DJ Forbes.
“As far as we were concerned, Hong Kong was the only one that we would watch, growing up. I only knew Sevens as the Hong Kong Sevens. So being on that plane to come to Hong Kong was always a highlight of the boys' careers. Any new stadium always brings a lot of excitement. I'm sure everyone in the South Stand, in particular, will be doing their best to make sure that the players feel that vibe and the energy.
“It's going to be a pretty, pretty massive three days,” Forbes added.
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.