Los Angeles will host the high stakes World Rugby Sevens promotion and relegation play-off competition that sees the top four men’s and women’s teams from the Sevens Challenger Series join the bottom-four ranked core teams at the end of the sixth round in Singapore. 

Popularly known as the City of Angels and the entertainment capital of the world, LA  replaces Madrid, Spain that hosted the inaugural qualification and promotion event last year. 

Initially, there had been indications that Madrid could be given a second chance when World Rugby officials and local organizers hinted they were open to exploring the possibility of retaining Madrid for the next fixture. 

At the conclusion of last year’s tournament, the Madrid LOC had admitted they were keen to continue the learning process. In the meantime, World Rugby has retained the seven destinations for the Sevens World Series Circuit that kicks off on November 30, 2024 in Dubai.

An announcement on Monday, November 11, 2024 confirmed the remaining destinations as Singapore and Los Angeles after initially unveiling the opening five venues as Dubai, Cape Town, Perth, Vancouver and Hong Kong. Perhaps the only noticeable change is Los Angeles as the last tournament in May, 2025. 

New teams

Three new teams have been included in the men’s competition where Kenya are turning after spending one year out competing in the Challenger Series. Uruguay and China are the other teams. In the women’s category, China has replaced South Africa while Kenya replaced Canada in the men’s teams.

Most of the teams will have new faces in the squads and technical bench. At the end of last season, Mike Friday stepped down as coach of the USA men’s team which will also be without Perry Baker who retired.

Their women’s team will also be without another key player Naya Tapper who announced her retirement after winning the Olympic bronze medal in France this year together with Lauren Doyle.

Other noticeable absentees are Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, Tyla King (New Zealand) and Jerry Tuwai (Fiji) who also retired after the Olympics.  

Teams

Women: New Zealand, Australia, France, USA, Canada, Fiji, , Ireland, Great Britain, Japan, Brazil, Spain and China.

Men: Argentina, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, France, Fiji, South Africa, Great Britain, USA, Spain, Uruguay and Kenya.

Dubai Sevens draw

Women

Pool A: Australia, Ireland, Fiji, China.

Pool B: France, USA, Great Britain, Spain.

Pool C: New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Brazil

Order of play

Canada v Brazil, New Zealand v Japan, USA v Spain, France v Great Britain, Ireland v China, Australia v Fiji, Japan v Brazil, New Zealand v Canada, Great Britain v Spain, France v USA, Fiji v China, Australia v Ireland, 

Men

Pool A: France, South Africa, Australia, Kenya.

Pool B: Argentina, Ireland, Great Britain, Uruguay.

Pool C: Fiji, New Zealand, USA, Spain.

Order of play

New Zealand v USA, Fiji v Spain, Ireland v Great Britain, Argentina v Uruguay, South Africa v Australia, France v Kenya, New Zealand v Spain, Fiji v USA, Ireland v Uruguay, Argentina v Great Britain, South Africa v Kenya, France v Australia, USA v Spain, Fiji v New Zealand, Great Britain v Uruguay, Argentina v Ireland, Australia v Kenya, France v South Africa.

2024/2025 World Rugby Sevens World Series venues and dates

Dubai: November 30- December 1, 2024.

Cape Town: December 7-8, 2024.

Perth: January 24-26, 2025.

Vancouver: February 21-23, 2025.

Hong Kong: March 28-30, 2025.

Singapore: April 5-6, 2025.Los Angeles: May 3-4, 2025.