Talanta Stadium confirmed for first major international sporting event

Nairobi is set to host another major international rugby sevens event after World Rugby confirmed the HSBC SVNS 2 schedule for the 2027 season.Kenya will welcome the global competition to the newly constructed Talanta Sports Stadium from Saturday, 23 to Sunday, 24 January, 2027.Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsThe Kenyan capital will stage the opening leg of the three-event series as teams battle for a place among the world's leading sevens nations, with the competition forming a key part of World Rugby's pathway towards the LA28 Olympic Games.Andrew Amonde names his all-time Kenya Sevens dream teamNairobi will be followed by Montevideo, Uruguay, on Saturday, 20 to Sunday, 21 February, before the series concludes in São Paulo, Brazil, on Saturday, 27 to Sunday, 28 February.The three cities return as hosts after featuring in the inaugural HSBC SVNS 2 competition in 2026.Kenya finished third in the 2025 edition, which marked the first time the competition was staged in the country. The upcoming tournament will offer the home side an opportunity to use familiar surroundings and passionate local support as they seek to return to the top tier.##NAJAVA_MECA_10027781##The confirmation of the dates also gives Kenyan rugby fans another opportunity to witness international sevens action on home soil.The HSBC SVNS 2 forms an integral part of World Rugby's revamped global sevens structure, offering participating men's and women's teams a competitive route towards the elite level of the sport.Introduced under the evolved HSBC SVNS model, the three-tier system links regional qualification to HSBC SVNS 3, HSBC SVNS 2 and ultimately the HSBC SVNS World Championship, creating a pathway for teams to progress through the international competition structure.Brian Tanga names coaches who shaped his trophy-laden career as he hangs bootsFor Kenya, the tournament carries added significance following Shujaa's relegation from the top division in June 2026.Kenya's stay among the world's leading sevens nations ended on June 7 after the United States defeated Fiji 17-14 in the fifth-place playoff of the promotion and relegation tournament in Bordeaux, France.The result saw the Americans finish with 17 points, one ahead of Kenya's 16, condemning Kevin Wambua's charges to Division Two.##NAJAVA_MECA_10027768##Shujaa had kept their survival hopes alive by beating Uruguay 26-7 to finish 11th in Bordeaux. However, their fate depended on Fiji defeating the USA, a result that did not materialise.The relegation capped a difficult campaign for Kenya, who managed just one victory in five matches at the tournament. Defeats against South Africa, Fiji, Great Britain and Germany left them with too much ground to recover despite their convincing win over Uruguay.The outcome followed changes to the global sevens format, with World Rugby reducing the number of core teams in the top division from 12 to eight.From cricket to Kenya’s most lethal scrum-half: The story of Samuel AsatiThe restructuring introduced a more demanding promotion and relegation system, leaving established nations vulnerable to demotion.Kenya will now turn its attention to HSBC SVNS 2, where they will seek to rebuild their campaign and mount a challenge for promotion back to the elite division.HSBC SVNS 2 2027 scheduleJanuary 23–24: Nairobi, Kenya – Talanta Sports StadiumFebruary 20–21: Montevideo, Uruguay – Estadio CharrúaFebruary 27–28: São Paulo, Brazil – Nicolau Alayon Stadium