Kenya is set to host the 2026 Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens Championship on November 7 and 8 at the RFUEA Ground in Nairobi.
The tournament will bring together some of the continent’s top women’s rugby teams to compete for the African titles and an opportunity to progress to HSBC SVNS 3.
According to a press statement issued by Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya, the two-day tournament will feature 11 national teams, with hosts Kenya joined by Burkina Faso, Ghana, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The championship is expected to provide a major platform for the growth of women’s rugby in Africa while strengthening Kenya’s position as a leading destination for international sporting events.
The Kenya Lionesses will head into the competition with confidence following an impressive Safari Sevens campaign, having defeated Uganda 22-5 in the final to retain their title.
The national women’s team will now be looking to build on that success by securing the continental crown on home soil and earning a return to the HSBC SVNS 3 competition.
In a statement CS Mvurya urged Kenyans to turn out in large numbers at the RFUEA Grounds to support the Lionesses as they pursue the African championship.
“On behalf of the Government of Kenya, I welcome all participating teams and their supporters to Nairobi and invite our visitors to experience Kenya’s exceptional hospitality beyond the rugby field,” said Mvurya.
He also highlighted Kenya’s recent success at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, where the Rising Lionesses reportedly defeated Australia 17-12 in extra time to win gold in rugby sevens.
The team had earlier beaten China 12-5 and host Senegal 19-0 before overcoming Madagascar 15-5 in the semi-finals.
The victory made Kenya the first African nation to win rugby sevens gold at either the Olympic Games or the Youth Olympic Games.
Mvurya further reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to expanding opportunities for women and girls in sports, noting that the Ministry would continue working with the Kenya Rugby Union and other partners to strengthen the development pathway from school and community rugby club competition to national teams.
The government also aims to improve access to coaching and regular competitive opportunities to enable more young female athletes to develop their talents and progress to senior international rugby.