Earlier this month saw the global launch of HSBC SVNS, world rugby’s revamped and rebranded celebration of rugby sevens, which will take place across eight iconic cities, kicking off here in the Middle East in December.

Our ambition is to supercharge rugby’s global reach and appeal, and we aim to deliver an immersive experience, as well as a unique festival of sport, entertainment and culture set against stunning backdrops.

The HSBC SVNS festivals will provide the annual platform for the world’s best sevens athletes to shine with 12 men’s and women’s teams sharing a global stage at the same location, aligning with the Olympic model.

Dubai will deliver the curtain raiser for this festival from 2-3 December, before it moves to Cape Town, South Africa, and many other stunning cities around the world next year, including Hong Kong and Singapore.

As our Group CEO, Noel Quinn has recently commented, through many years of working closely with World Rugby to showcase and support the sport around the world, we’re very pleased that HSBC has become synonymous with the World Rugby Sevens. And the commitment we are making to rugby here in the Middle East ensures that a global tournament with a huge international following remains an anchor point of the world sporting calendar. We have partnered with Emirates and World Rugby to make the Dubai tournament a success since 2010 and, with this new commitment that extends to 2027, we look forward to helping the sport continue to reach even greater heights.

Under the new model, SVNS will deliver gender parity with all seven rounds and the Grand Final featuring combined men’s and women’s competitions and equal participation fees, with a 70 per cent uplift in World Rugby’s investment in participation fees as a commitment to sustainable growth.

Outside of the series, we’re equally committed to raising the profile of the sport across the Middle East, by making it more accessible and popular. Since the early launch of our partnership with the UAE Rugby Federation to develop the Player Pathway Program back in 2011, an average of 100,000 school children, male and female, have participated in the program annually.

I hope to see you in Dubai in December for the launch of what promises to be a memorable celebration of inclusive sport. For the latest information on tickets, fans should visit SVNS.com to find out more.

Simon Calder ( LinkedIn) is deputy chief executive officer & chief operating officer, HSBC Bank Middle East Ltd.

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