By RISHABH PAREKH, OP
Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the Asia Rugby Emirates U20 Sevens 2026, scheduled for November 14 and 15 at Kalinga Stadium here, Suryabanshi Suraj, Sports Minister, Government of Odisha, unveiled the official tournament trophy Friday.
Speaking on the occasion, Suraj said, “Odisha is delighted to host the Asia Rugby Emirates U20 Sevens 2026 in Bhubaneswar. Our continued investment in sporting infrastructure and commitment to hosting major competitions reflect our ambition to create opportunities for athletes at every level. We are equally focused on identifying talent at the grassroots, nurturing young athletes and providing them with the right training and support to excel at national and international levels.
We warmly welcome all participating teams and officials to Odisha and wish them an exciting and memorable championship.” After an eight-year wait, Bhubaneswar will once again welcome international rugby as it hosts the Asia Rugby Emirates U20 Sevens 2026. The city’s last international rugby event was held in 2018. A total of 17 teams from 10 Asian nations will compete in the tournament, with 10 teams in the men’s category and seven in the women’s event.
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The participating countries are India, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Chinese Taipei, Nepal and Jordan. India will compete in seven pool matches across the two days, with the knockout stage scheduled for Day 2 following the pool fixtures.
The Day 2 schedule will continue with the men’s final group stage matches followed by the knockout stage, where teams will compete for the final standings and championship titles.
