Nagoya: The UAE men's national rugby team has been placed in Group C for the rugby sevens competition at the 20th Asian Games, which will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from 19th September to 4th October 2026. The team will compete against Sri Lanka, Singapore, and the Philippines in the group stage.
According to Emirates News Agency, the draw ceremony took place in Nagoya City with the presence of Ghaith Jalajel, Competitions Director at Asia Rugby, and several members of the Asian Games Organising Committee. Group A includes teams from Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, and Uzbekistan, while Group B features Japan, Thailand, Korea, and Kazakhstan.
In the women's competition, Japan leads Group A with Thailand, Kazakhstan, and Singapore, while China, Hong Kong, India, and Malaysia are in Group B. The top two teams from each group will move directly to the semifinals to determine the finalists.
The men's tournament will start with a group-stage format. The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will qualify for the knockout quarterfinals. Winners will advance to the semifinals and final, while non-qualifying teams will play in the 9th to 12th placement matches.
Qais Al Dhalai, President of Asia Rugby, highlighted the participation of 20 teams in the rugby sevens competition as a significant achievement for Asian rugby. He emphasized the sport's growth due to initiatives by Asia Rugby and national unions, which have expanded participation and improved the technical level of teams. Al Dhalai stressed that while rankings and technical levels ensured fairness in the draw, the competition's outcome will ultimately be decided on the field.
