My Take | Successful Sevens can score for Hong Kong in the international arena
Impressive new stadium, exciting rugby action and fans full of fun are tough match for rivals who dare try to win Hong Kong sporting crown
Hong Kong will stage more than 100 “mega-events” in the first half of this year, seeking to establish itself as a “capital” for high-profile international attractions.
But as “super March”, with its packed schedule, draws to a close the city’s reputation as a host for such occasions rests on one of its oldest and best-known sports events. The Rugby Sevens are back and breaking new ground.
Few would have imagined when the tournament was first staged at Hong Kong Football Club in 1976, before 3,000 spectators, it would grow into the city’s prime mega-event.
The competition, attracting fans from around the world, was used to signal Hong Kong’s emergence from the pandemic in 2022, after a two-year absence.
This weekend it became the first international sports event to be staged at the city’s impressive new Kai Tak Stadium. It is the biggest test yet for the sports park, which lies at the heart of Hong Kong’s ambitions and has only been open a month.
Ticket sales have been strong, with around 130,000 fans expected to attend over the three days, ending with the finals today.