Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy 2024: Full schedule, squads, match timings, and live-streaming details

The Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy 2024 is poised to be one of the most competitive rugby tournaments in the region, set to take place from October 4-5 in Kathmandu, Nepal. The tournament will feature 14 men's and eight women's teams, representing the five sub-regions of Asia. Both categories will compete fiercely for promotion to the prestigious Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series 2025.

Originally planned as two separate events, the Asia Rugby Sevens Emirates Challenge and the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy, the tournaments were merged to foster a more competitive environment following a few team withdrawals. This merge ensures that all participating teams have an equal opportunity to secure their spot in the 2025 Emirates Sevens Series.

The men's tournament will include teams from Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Chinese Taipei, India, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, and Uzbekistan. The women's competition will see participation from Guam, India, Indonesia, Iran, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Uzbekistan.

Some of the teams to watch in this year's Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy 2024 include the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Chinese Taipei in the men’s category and the Philippines and Sri Lanka in the women’s category, all of whom have experience in the main Asia Rugby Sevens Series circuit. Emerging teams like Afghanistan, Bahrain, and Kazakhstan (men), as well as Iran and India (women), are expected to bring an exciting unpredictability to the competition.

The Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy 2024 will be held at the Dasarath Rangasala Stadium in Kathmandu, where both the men's and women's champions will secure promotion to the 2025 Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series, providing a pathway for emerging teams to join Asia's rugby elite.

Here are the pools for the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy 2024 women's and men's teams:

Women's Pools:

Pool E: Philippines, Guam, Uzbekistan, Nepal

Pool F: India, Iran, Indonesia, Sri Lanka

Men's Pools (Unconfirmed):

Pool A: Philippines, Pakistan, Jordan

Pool B: Bahrain, Uzbekistan, Nepal

Pool C: Kazakhstan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka

Pool D: Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh, Chinese Taipei

The matches will begin on October 4 with the opening games in both the men’s and women’s categories, leading to semi-finals and finals on October 5.

Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy 2024: Full schedule

Men’s Tournament:

Friday, 4th October 2024

08:30 – Group A Round 1: Pakistan vs. Jordan

08:53 – Group B Round 1: Uzbekistan vs. Nepal

09:16 – Group C Round 1: Qatar vs. Saudi Arabia

09:39 – Group C Round 1: Kazakhstan vs. Sri Lanka

10:02 – Group D Round 1: India vs. Bangladesh

10:25 – Group D Round 1: Afghanistan vs. Chinese Taipei

12:54 – Group A Round 1: Philippines vs. Jordan

13:17 – Group B Round 1: Bahrain vs. Nepal

13:40 – Group C Round 2: Qatar vs. Sri Lanka

14:03 – Group C Round 2: Kazakhstan vs. Saudi Arabia

14:26 – Group D Round 2: India vs. Chinese Taipei

14:49 – Group D Round 2: Afghanistan vs. Bangladesh

16:44 – Group A Round 2: Philippines vs. Pakistan

17:07 – Group B Round 2: Bahrain vs. Uzbekistan

17:30 – Group C Round 2: Saudi Arabia vs. Sri Lanka

17:53 – Group C Round 2: Kazakhstan vs. Qatar

18:16 – Group D Round 3: Bangladesh vs. Chinese Taipei

18:39 – Group D Round 3: Afghanistan vs. India

Saturday, 5th October 2024

08:30 – Challenge Semi-Final: 3rd Group A vs. 3rd Group D

08:53 – Challenge Semi-Final: 3rd Group C vs. 3rd Group B

09:16 – Cup Quarter-Final: 1st Group A vs. 2nd Group B

09:39 – Cup Quarter-Final: 2nd Group C vs. 1st Group D

10:02 – Cup Quarter-Final: 1st Group C vs. 2nd Group D

10:25 – Cup Quarter-Final: 2nd Group A vs. 1st Group B

12:20 – Bowl Semi-Final: Loser C.QF.1 vs. Loser C.QF.2

12:43 – Bowl Semi-Final: Loser C.QF.3 vs. Loser C.QF.4

13:06 – Cup Semi-Final: TBA

13:29 – Cup Semi-Final: TBA

15:24 – 7th Place Final: Loser B.SF.1 vs. Loser B.SF.2

15:47 – Bowl Final: TBA

16:33 – 3rd Place Final: Loser C.SF.1 vs. Loser C.SF.2

17:19 – Cup Final: TBA

Women’s Tournament:

Friday, 4th October 2024

10:48 – Group E Round 1: Guam vs. Uzbekistan

11:45 – Group E Round 1: Philippines vs. Nepal

12:08 – Group F Round 1: India vs. Sri Lanka

12:31 – Group F Round 1: Iran vs. Indonesia

15:12 – Group E Round 2: Philippines vs. Uzbekistan

15:35 – Group E Round 2: Guam vs. Nepal

15:58 – Group F Round 2: India vs. Indonesia

16:21 – Group F Round 2: Iran vs. Sri Lanka

19:02 – Group E Round 3: Uzbekistan vs. Nepal

19:25 – Group E Round 3: Philippines vs. Guam

19:48 – Group F Round 3: Indonesia vs. Sri Lanka

20:11 – Group F Round 3: India vs. Iran

Saturday, 5th October 2024

10:48 – Bowl Semi-Final: 3rd Group E vs. 4th Group F

11:11 – Bowl Semi-Final: 4th Group E vs. 3rd Group F

11:34 – Cup Semi-Final: 1st Group E vs. 2nd Group F

11:57 – Cup Semi-Final: 2nd Group E vs. 1st Group F

15:01 – 7th/8th Place Final: Loser Bowl.SF.1 vs. Loser Bowl.SF.2

16:10 – Bowl Final: TBA

16:56 – 3rd Place Final: Loser C.SF.1 vs. Loser C.SF.2

17:42 – Cup Final: TBA

Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy 2024: Squads

Nepal Men: Bibesh Basu, Sabin Mahat, Calvin Joshi, Birat Shrestha, Yadu Adhikari, Niroj Karki, Bikram Puri, Nabin Darlami Magar, Ganesh Baniya, Rohan Dangol, Bijaya Khadka, Kapil Thakuri

Reserves: Binod B. Shahi, Mahesh Sunar, Sanjaya Adhikari, Pramesh Chaudhari

Qatar Men: Badre, Beau, Frank, Guillermo, Hamza, Ismail, James, Johann-Henry, Lee, Paul, Sam M, Sam W

Sri Lanka Men: Tarinda Ratwatte, Srinath Sooriabandara, Kavindu Perera, Heshan Jansen, Dilan Ekanayake, Akash Madushanka, Sachith Silva, Yomal Thilakarathne, Hirantha Perera, Sudaraka Dikkubura, Ashan Bandara, Dinupa Seneviratne, Janidu Dilshan, Dharshana Dabare, Shahid Zumri

Bangladesh Men: MD HASHIB, MD TANIUR, SOHEL AHMED, MD SOHEL RANA, JWEL RANA, MD OBAIDUR, SREE TIPU, RANJON ANOWARUZZAMAN. MD SADDAM, PARITOSH CHAKMA

India Men: Ajit Hansdah, Asis Sabar, Deepak Punia, Ganesh Majhi, Javed Hussein, Karan Rajbhar, Mohit Khatri, Pranav Patil, Prashant Singh, Prince Khatri, Sumit Kumar Roy, Vallabh Patil

Nepal Women: Aasha Kuswar, Punam Shrestha, Susmita Chhetri, Anu Sherpa, Bishaka Rai, Rojina Pokhrel, Binita Shahi, Suja Rai, Manisha Ghising, Manisha Thapa Magar, Kamala Rai, Srijana Rai

Reserves: Sangita Chising, Sabitri Purja, Shrijana Chantyal, Apsara Karki

Sri Lanka Women: Randika Kumudumali, Sanjeewani Wijethilaka, N J K Dilrukshi, Dilini Kanchana, Shanika Madumali, Samantha Jayamali, Sandika Hemakumari, Dilini Kanchana, Charani Liyanage, Umayangana Thathsarani, Sanjeewani Perera, Krishnakumar Hekashini , Idusha Janani Perera.

India Women: Bhumika Shukla, Dumini Marndi, Hupi Majhi, Kalyani Patil, Nirmalya Rout, Rutuja Kirdat, Sakshi Jambhale, Sandhya Rai, Sheetal Sharma, Shikha Yadav, Ujjwala Ghuge, Vaishnavi Patil