Stone City 7s to Kick Off Uganda Rugby Sevens Series in Jinja

What the report says

Nile Post reported that Uganda Rugby has announced the 2026 Rugby Sevens Series, with the new Stone City 7s in Jinja scheduled to open the national circuit. The first leg will be hosted by Jinja Hippos Rugby Club and Ruck Yard Club, with the six-stop season later moving through venues including Rujumba and Kyadondo, before the Kyabazinga 7s and a final event at Muteesa II Stadium, Wankulukuku.

The series has been expanded to include 12 men’s core teams and eight women’s core teams. At the launch at Jinja Golf Club, Uganda Rugby Chief Executive Isaac Lutwama Nsubuga said the competition remains a leading domestic rugby property and noted that this edition will not include invitational sides, meaning clubs will participate within the core-series structure.

A major change is the introduction of promotion and relegation. According to the report, regional qualifiers will provide a route into the main circuit, with two top-performing teams earning promotion while the two lowest-ranked core teams drop out. Organisers say the change is intended to deepen competition and create a clearer pathway for emerging clubs.

The Jinja opener will also bring back floodlit rugby to the sevens circuit for the first time in 10 years, with matches on Friday, July 24, set to start at 8 p.m. Sponsors and broadcast partners, including Nile Breweries, Harris International and NBS Sport, were highlighted at the launch. The domestic sevens series is important as a club competition and as a platform for spotting players for Uganda’s national sevens teams.