Asia Rugby has announced a landmark multi-year partnership with UUDS AERO, with the Emirates 7’s Asia Rugby Clubs Cup inspired by UUDS AERO, marking a first of its kind a, transformative step for elite club rugby across the region.
This strategic collaboration reinforces a shared commitment to innovation, performance excellence and long-term sustainability within Asia’s club rugby landscape.
A New Era for Club Rugby in Asia
The Emirates 7’s Asia Rugby Clubs Cup will feature eight leading men’s Sevens club teams from across Asia competing across 20 matches on 4-5 July 2026 under the evening lights, delivering a high-energy spectacle for players and supporters. The first event will be hosted in Colombo with Sri Lanka Rugby as the host union.
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The tournament will be broadcast live, ensuring regional and international audiences can experience Asia’s premier club rugby competition and significantly enhancing the visibility of participating clubs.
Designed as a flagship annual event, the competition aims to become synonymous with elite performance, entertainment and community engagement, with future expansion plans to include both men’s and women’s divisions
The competition model includes:
- Competitive prize money
- Professional match officiating and operational standards
- Strong commercial activation and branding
- A scalable and sustainable event framework
Qais Al Dhalai, President of Asia Rugby, said:
“Today marks a historic moment for our sport. With the launch of the Emirates 7’s Asia Rugby Clubs Sevens Cup, Asia Rugby is proud to introduce the first official continental club rugby sevens competition in the history of the sport. In more than 200 years of rugby history, the sevens format has traditionally celebrated national team competitions. Today, Asia Rugby opens a new chapter by creating a dedicated continental platform for elite clubs to compete for the Asian crown.”
“As the fastest-growing rugby region in the world, Asia continues to innovate and lead the evolution of the sport. With the support of our partner UUDS AERO, this competition will quickly become one of the most prestigious club sevens tournaments globally. Importantly, the tournament will feature prize money for the champions, runners-up, and bronze medalists, further elevating the professional standards of club rugby in Asia and creating a competition that clubs across the continent and in time from other regions will aspire to participate in”
Manoj Bogoda, Group CSO, UUDS AERO and CEO of UUDS AERO DWC, commented:
“At UUDS AERO, we are proud to inspire and support initiatives that create meaningful impact. Rugby reflects the values we believe in, teamwork, discipline and resilience. Supporting the Asia Rugby Emirates Clubs Cup is a natural extension of our commitment to empowering communities and building sustainable pathways in sport.”
Asanga Seneviratne, Chair of the Asia Rugby Competitions Committee, added:
“ Asia Rugby, together with Sri Lanka Rugby, has once again pioneered a tournament to attract international competition and deliver a high-performance event for regional teams.
From competition integrity and officiating excellence to live broadcast and fan engagement, the Emirates 7’s Asia Rugby Clubs Cup sets a new benchmark for club rugby competitions in Asia.”
UUDS AERO has already demonstrated its commitment to rugby development through strategic partnerships aimed at elevating the sport’s profile and standards regionally and internationally
The organisation has further expressed its ambition to strengthen collaborations that uplift rugby standards across Asia, aligning closely with Asia Rugby’s long-term development strategy.
Building a Celebrated Annual Event
The Emirates 7’s Asia Rugby Clubs Cup will combine elite rugby with entertainment, interactive fan zones and premium hospitality experiences, positioning the event as a celebrated annual highlight on the regional rugby calendar
With Asia Rugby overseeing competition administration and strong operational collaboration with the host union, the event is structured to deliver excellence, integrity and commercial sustainability.
This multi-year agreement marks the beginning of a forward-looking collaboration that will help professionalise the club game and drive the continued growth of rugby across Asia.
