Olympic Games 7's 2024/25

Olympic Games 7’s is the premier quadrennial international tournament for rugby sevens. The discipline was established by the International Olympic Committee in 2009 and debuted at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. It is governed by World Rugby and stands apart from the annual HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, which serves as the primary qualification pathway and regular elite competition but lacks the singular prestige of the Olympic gold medal. The event is also distinct from Rugby Union (15s), which was last played at the 1924 Olympics.

The competition features twelve national teams competing in a format that begins with three pools of four teams in the group stage. This is followed by a knockout phase including Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Finals for the Cup, alongside Plate and Bowl competitions for lower rankings. Qualification relies on a combination of HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series rankings for the top four teams, continental qualifiers for one champion from each of the six World Rugby regions, the host nation’s automatic spot, and a final repechage tournament. There is no promotion or relegation within the Olympic structure itself.

Fiji holds the record for the most men’s gold medals, having won in 2016 and 2020. New Zealand holds the record for the most women’s gold medals, securing victories in 2020 and 2024. France won the inaugural men’s gold in 2016 and retained the title in 2024 by defeating Fiji in the final. New Zealand won the women’s gold in 2024, defeating Canada. While the provided source data lists specific participating nations for the current cycle, the tournament operates as a global competition open to international qualifiers rather than a permanent club-based league.

The event’s structure differs from domestic or regional leagues by focusing on national representation rather than club affiliation. The absence of a permanent club roster means teams are selected based on current form and qualification results rather than long-term membership. The prestige of the medal is considered higher than that of the annual circuit, which serves primarily as a route to the Games. The competition determines the world champions in the seven-a-side variant every four years.