The National 7s Series returns in July with a new format of 12 core men’s and 8 women’s sides in the 2026 edition.
This year, the National 7s Series will be played across six stops, with the first 5 circuits happening at fixed venues, while the final circuit, dubbed the Grand Finale, will take place at the Muteesa II Royal Stadium, Wankulukuku, on the weekend of September 9-10.
The fixed venues in their order of play are: Ruck Yard (Jinja), Kings Park Arena (Wakiso), Kyadondo Rugby Grounds (Kampala), Gulu University Grounds (Gulu) and Kyabazinga Stadium (Jinja).
Last year, the Gulu City Falcons and Elgon Wolves were relegated from the men’s category and replaced by the Victoria Sharks and Mbale Elephants.
In the Women’s category, the She Wolves survived relegation with the expansion to 8 core teams, with the Mbale Eagles and Kitgum Queens eying automatic promotion after the favourites, the Ewes, were docked points for allegedly using ineligible players in their qualification campaigns.
This new format was announced this year back in February and will officially take off with the first stop, the Stone City 7s, returning after being off the rugby calendar since 2023.
Additionally, the new format has created a tier system where non-core sides within the regions play against each other in 4 regional stops, after which the top sides from each region shall play against each other in National Promotional Playoffs across 2 tournaments.