- Match schedule announced for HSBC SVNS 2024 Grand Final and Play Off events at Civitas Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid on 31 May to 2 June
- The inaugural winner takes all events will see the best 32 men’s and women’s rugby sevens teams in the world competing over three action-packed days to become SVNS Champions or earn their place in SVNS 2025
- Festival atmosphere with live music, entertainment, beach club next level experiences, and global food offerings
- Last opportunity to see Olympic teams ahead of Paris 2024 Games, with France superstar Antoine Dupont expected to play
- Tickets are available from 10 Euros at svns.com
The match schedule has today been announced for the highly anticipated inaugural HSBC SVNS Grand Final and promotion and relegation Play Off events in Madrid on 31 May – 2 June.
The schedule was unveiled during an event hosted by Jose Manuel Rodriguez Uribes, President of the Supreme Council for Sports, Spain to officially welcome the HSBC SVNS to Madrid ahead of the three day event at the iconic Civitas Metropolitano Stadium.
There will be more to play for than ever before in the history of international rugby sevens on the pitch, while fans will be treated to a festival of music, food and entertainment around the venue.
The action will be intense from start to finish with World Rugby’s new winner takes all Grand Final format featuring only the top eight men’s and women’s teams set to crown the first ever SVNS Champions.
Meanwhile the promotion and relegation Play Off competition will see a further eight men’s and women’s teams playing for their HSBC SVNS status as the Qualifier final matches on Sunday are set to provide rugby sevens fans with a feast of excitement, jeopardy and high drama.
Under the new HSBC SVNS 2024 model, seven regular-season events took place, which resulted in Argentina and New Zealand being acclaimed men’s and women’s league winners respectively at HSBC SVNS Singapore in May before the new standalone Grand Final in Madrid.
The top eight men’s and women’s teams based on cumulative SVNS points at the conclusion of the seventh round in Singapore secured their place in the Grand Final.
The HSBC SVNS Grand Final pools see men’s 2024 League Winners Argentina in Pool A together with Australia, France and Great Britain. League runners up Ireland are in Pool B alongside 2023 Series winners New Zealand, double Olympic Champions Fiji and South Africa.
Meanwhile in the women’s Grand Final fans can look forward to seeing arch rivals Australia and New Zealand do battle along with the likes of reigning Olympic silver medallists France and Ireland who won the Perth SVNS title in January.
Reigning Olympic and Series champions New Zealand are in Pool A with the USA, Canada and Great Britain, while Australia, France, Fiji and Ireland are in a very competitive looking Pool B.
The newly introduced high-stakes promotion and relegation play-off competition will take place simultaneously in Madrid with teams ranked ninth to twelfth in SVNS 2024 competing with the top four teams from the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024.
The competition format involves two pools of four teams to decide who plays who in the all-important play off matches on Sunday, with the winners of the resulting four cross-over matches securing their place in HSBC SVNS 2025, while the losing teams will enter the regional qualification pathway for the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025.
Both Spain’s men’s and women’s teams are in HSBC SVNS Play Off action in Madrid and will be looking to call upon home support to help maintain their HSBC SVNS status.
The men’s Play Off pools see the USA in Pool A with Canada, Germany and Uruguay – who arrive fresh from being crowned Challenger champions earlier this month in Munich. Hosts Spain are in Pool B where they will face Samoa, Kenya and Chile.
The women’s Play Off pools see Spain in Pool A against Japan, Poland and China – who wrapped up a clean sweep of victories to take the Sevens Challenger title in Krakow earlier this month. South American rivals Brazil and Argentina are in Pool B together with South Africa and Belgium.
The three-day event kicks off at 12:00 local time (GMT+2) on Friday 31 May, with Spain men facing Kenya in the last match of day one at 21:18. Pool play continues throughout day two, which also kicks of at 12:00 before the action reaches it’s climax with finals day on Sunday 2 June when play begins at 10:05 and reaches it’s finale with the HSBC SVNS championship finals at 19:49 and 20:26.
With rugby sevens kicking off the Olympic Games in Paris on 24 July, Madrid represents the last stop on the road to the Paris for the teams already qualified and it is anticipated that former World Rugby Men's 15s Player of the Year Antoine Dupont will rejoin the France squad in Madrid, following his sensational impact at the recent SVNS events in Vancouver and Los Angeles.
While best 36 men’s and women’s teams in the world will showcase the speed, skill and all-action drama of rugby sevens while a pumping music and entertainment line-up will create a buzzing festival atmosphere over three fun-filled, sun-soaked days at the iconic Civitas Metropolitano Stadium.
Away from the pitch the hugely popular SVNS beach club will see DJs keep the energy high with a mix of dance floor fillers and classic anthems. The sounds of HSBC SVNS in Madrid will include popular local DJ Luc Loren, and live acts including Ptazeta and Chanel.
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For those seeking a more premium and exclusive setting, the new next level hospitality experiences including The Sun Room feature premium food and drink, a full programme of fun and entertainment in private lounges and the best seats in the house to see all the non-stop action.
World Rugby Sevens General Manager Sam Pinder said: “Today’s announcement of the match schedule for HSBC SVNS Madrid marks another exciting step towards what promises to be a historic and unforgettable three days of rugby sevens entertainment on and off the pitch.
“We are continually looking to innovate and evolve in a competitive sports market place and the inaugural HSBC SVNS Grand Final and Play Off promises greater jeopardy, excitement and drama with more at stake than ever before in a single international rugby sevens event.
“Our thanks and gratitude to all stakeholders, especially our title partner HSBC and the city of Madrid, who will undoubtedly be world class hosts. The players and teams are looking forward to showcasing the very best of international rugby sevens in an iconic modern stadium with a festival atmosphere.”
Tickets for the HSBC SVNS 2024 Grand Final in Madrid are available from 10 Euros at www.SVNS.com.
