Five things we learnt from the SVNS Series schedule announcement

Here we go again.

The 27th iteration of the HSBC SVNS Series is set to make a triumphant return in November 2026, with the nine venues unveiled for the 2026/27 Series set to run until May 2027.

The Series marks a critical juncture until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, as the likes of South Africa and Australia look to maintain their position at the top of the pile, with the chasing pack yapping at their heels.

There will be a new look to the 16 teams this year, with the likes of Spain’s women’s side and the United States’ men’s side being promoted from SVNS 2 – coming at a perfect time to press their case for higher honours.

RugbyPass breaks down the key talking points from the announcement, and how things may play out.

Consistency is king

The elephant in the room about the announcement is, well… the fact it is exactly the same venues and cities.

One of the joys of the HSBC SVNS Series across it’s history has been the abundance of locations and venues the Series has travelled to, with each having its own flavour and style for fans to enjoy.

However, the 2025/26 Series marked a moment of enormous success, with Dubai, Hong Kong China, and Perth among several venues that sold out, while the quality on the park reached a classic climax in North America and in the World Championship.

The decision to keep the same venues and cities signals a massive vote of confidence in the respective host nations, and bodes well that next year can build nicely on the success of last season.

World Championship gets tick of approval

Even more of note for the Series was not just the venues being unchanged, but the format – and judging by the finale, it’s for good reason.

Ever since the world emerged out of lockdown, the SVNS Series has been looking for that sweet spot in its format, bringing the men’s and women’s legs together and introducing finals to add to the occasion.

While the merging of the two Series proved successful off the bat, introducing finals has seen few iterations – with a single winner-takes-all final round feeling tacked on at the end of a regular season.

However, stretching finals out to a best of three proved a masterstroke, not only adding to the impact that Series form in the regular season gave, but critically, leading to several late chargers in the competition.

The three separate winners in the men’s Series of the World Championship was equally as exciting as the sudden surge of Australia in the women’s Series, emphatically ending the Black Ferns dominance of the season and pipping them at the post in Bordeaux.

It was everything fans of sevens could want, and critically, bringing it back suggests the powers that be know the format has found its sweet spot.

SVNS 2/3 looms in background

While the SVNS Series schedule announcement has proven a pleasing one for the top format, of equal measure was the promotion of two new sides to the top league in Spain Women and USA Men.

Their success in the World Championship also pointed to the tiered system of SVNS 2 and SVNS 3 having strong legs, with SVNS 2 particularly seeing brilliant contests across Kenya, Uruguay and Brazil.

While the format for the two lower divisions hasn’t been confirmed yet, odds will be following their success that neither will likely change much, with SVNS 3 likely set to return to Dubai in November off the back of regional tournaments, with SVNS 2 likely set for February-March next year.

The results will open the door for the likes of Kenya’s two sides, as well as Germany’s men’s team to return to the fray, with Argentina Women and South Africa Women looking to build on a hugely successful 2025/26 Series.

Then, there is also the elephant in the room of Great Britain, with both sides being relegated from the World Series last year and who will be looking to retake their place in the top league.

Opportunities for crossovers

The SVNS Series format has also yielded an additional success in a key area – increased crossover with XVs.

The new format in conjunction with the inaugural season of the Nations Championship and World Rugby Nations Cup has provided ample opportunity for sevens players to expand their impact well into the offseason, with nearly 50 players playing international rugby across the two tournaments in July.

Of note was not just the likes of Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, who scored a double on debut against the Wallabies, but the likes of the United States, who made it though the first three legs undefeated thanks in no small part due to several of their recently promoted stars crossing over.

With the Nations Championship and Cup set to become a biennial event, it further opens up the chances for more players to excel for more teams in an increasingly global calendar.

Olympics loom in background

Of course, the final big news about the schedule is not just what it will look like, but were it sits in the context of the next two years.

All sevens teams have their eyes firmly on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and with the closing ceremony exactly two years away today, there is no secret of how significant success in the 2026/27 SVNS Series will be.

Teams will be looking for form, momentum and confidence – with bragging rights also in the mix for those at the top.

With the likes of Australia missing out on Olympic success in the men’s and women’s, and with France and New Zealand looking to defend their respective crowns from the likes of South Africa, Fiji, Canada and the United States, there is no shortage of competition – and the significance the next 12 months will bring.