An expanded Hong Kong Football Club 10s tournament and a midweek racing program at Happy Valley are among the format changes planned for this year’s sevens week in Hong Kong, as the Rugby Sevens tournament celebrates its 50th anniversary in April.
For the first time, Hong Kong China Rugby (HKCR), the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) and Hong Kong Football Club (HKFC) will coordinate schedules and activity across the week, linking rugby and racing programming under a new partnership.
As part of the update, the Tradition HKFC 10s will run across three days, from April 14 to 16, extending beyond its usual two-day format.
The event will be staged at HKFC’s base in Happy Valley, where the Wednesday race meeting is also expected to feature a sevens theme.
Hong Kong’s men’s and women’s sevens squads are scheduled to be announced at Sha Tin on Sunday, April 12, with the rugby and racing elements positioned to run in tandem across the week.
Hong Kong China Rugby Chairman, Chris Brooke, said: “We are delighted to be able to expand our long-running and successful collaboration with the Hong Kong Jockey Club and HKFC.”
Brooke added: “With the support of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, we have been able to share the experience and values of rugby with literally thousands of people from all over Hong Kong and within the Greater Bay Area.”
Hong Kong Football Club Chairman, Neil Jensen, said the partnership would help the tournament develop further and support efforts to enhance the fan experience, while maintaining its ability to attract international teams.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club will continue as the sevens’ official community partner. Last year, HKJC said it brought more than 6,500 people to the opening day at Kai Tak Stadium and supported a mini-rugby program that saw around 1,500 participants play at the venue before the main matches.
Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO, Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, said: “The rugby sevens and horse racing are two of Hong Kong’s most iconic sporting attractions, each drawing thousands of visitors to the city every year.”
Engelbrecht-Bresges added: “It’s fantastic that we have been able to bring these traditions together through the Racing with Rugby Week.”
In December 2025, HKJC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Yao Foundation to expand cooperation in basketball promotion and youth sports development, including a broader HK$3bn ($384.6m) sports development commitment over the next three years and more than HK$70m invested in the Believe & Bounce Basketball Programme.
HKJC said its sports development support includes community programs, exchange initiatives and facility upgrades, including improvements at Southorn Stadium intended to help attract more high-level and international basketball events
