Safari 7s 2026: Kenya Rugby Festival at Nyayo Stadium, 9–11 October

Safari 7s 2026 brings 18 men’s and women’s teams to Nairobi for three days of fast, open rugby at Nyayo Stadium.

The Safari 7s, Kenya’s international rugby sevens tournament, runs from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 October 2026. It takes place at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi. Gates open at 7:30am East Africa Time, and TikoHub tickets start at KSh 300 (about US$2) for Friday.

The Safari 7s is a yearly rugby sevens tournament organised by the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU), the national governing body. The 2026 edition is the 28th.

Rugby sevens is a short, fast form of rugby union. Each team has seven players instead of fifteen, and a match lasts two halves of seven minutes.

Because matches are short, a tournament day holds many games. Fans come and go, eat, and watch several teams in one afternoon. Sevens has been an Olympic sport since 2016.

The KRU has confirmed 18 teams: 12 in the men’s event and 6 in the women’s event. Three more men’s teams are on standby.

Kenya’s national men’s team, called Shujaa, leads the men’s field. Shujaa is a Swahili word meaning hero. A second Kenyan side, Kenya Morans, also takes part.

Visiting men’s teams include Uganda, Zimbabwe, Scotland 7s, the French Renegades and Wonder 7s. Shogun from the United Kingdom and the Southern California Nomads from the United States also play.

In the women’s event, the Kenya Lionesses face Uganda, Tunisia 7s and the Costa Blanca Barbarians from Spain. Kenya Cubs and Shibli complete the field.

Shujaa won the men’s title in 2025 and are aiming for a fifth title in a row. The Lionesses are the defending women’s champions.

The tournament has moved between Nairobi venues over the years.

In 2025, the Safari 7s returned to Nyayo Stadium for the first time since 2021. Nairobi also hosted a leg of World Rugby’s SVNS 2 series at Nyayo in February 2026.

Sevens is the form of rugby that made Kenya known in the sport abroad. Shujaa has played for years on World Rugby’s international sevens circuit.

For young Kenyan players, the Safari 7s means matches against visiting national and club sides. They play in front of a home crowd.

For visitors and new residents, the low prices and relaxed crowd offer an easy introduction to Nairobi’s weekend social life.

TikoHub, a Kenyan online ticketing platform, sells the tickets. A regular Friday ticket costs KSh 300 (about US$2).

Current Wave 2 regular tickets cost KSh 750 (about US$6) for Saturday or for Sunday. A season pass for Saturday and Sunday costs KSh 1,000 (about US$8).

TikoHub also sells replica Shujaa and Lionesses jerseys for KSh 7,000 (about US$54). Buyers collect them at the merchandise counter on the day.

Conversions use about KSh 129 to the US dollar on 22 September 2026. The organiser has not published VIP prices or gate prices for 2026.

Nyayo National Stadium stands just south of Nairobi’s central business district, near the junction of Uhuru Highway and Mombasa Road.

Many fans arrive by matatu, the shared minibuses that serve most of Nairobi. Ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Bolt also work well, though traffic builds on match days.

From Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, the stadium is along Mombasa Road towards the city. Nairobi National Park, where giraffes and rhinos live close to the city, is also nearby.

Doors open at 7:30am, and matches usually run through the day. The KRU has not published the match schedule yet.

Sevens crowds are social and mixed. Many fans wear team colours or costumes, and music plays between games.

October in Nairobi is usually mild and sunny, with the short rains often starting later in the month. A hat, sun cream and a light rain jacket are useful.

The stadium grounds can be dusty or muddy. Comfortable shoes that can get dirty are a sensible choice.

Friday tickets cost less than weekend tickets. The first day suits newcomers who want to try the format before a full weekend.

Large crowds attract pickpockets, as they do in most cities. Keeping phones and wallets in front pockets or a zipped bag reduces the risk.

After the last match, many people leave at once. Agreeing a meeting point with friends, and booking a ride a little away from the gates, makes leaving easier.

Kenya uses M-Pesa, a mobile-money service, for many small payments. Visitors can buy a local SIM card with M-Pesa, and carrying some cash also helps.

More: Expats & Nomads guides, every day from The Rio Times.

The tournament runs from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 October 2026 at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi. Doors open at 7:30am East Africa Time each day.

A Friday ticket costs KSh 300 (about US$2). Saturday or Sunday tickets cost KSh 750 (about US$6), and a weekend pass costs KSh 1,000 (about US$8).

The official seller is TikoHub, a Kenyan online ticketing platform. Tickets are sold through its website at tikohub.com.

Eighteen teams take part, 12 men’s and 6 women’s. They include Kenya’s Shujaa and Lionesses, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Scotland 7s and Tunisia 7s.

Sources: TikoHub: Safari 7s 2026 tickets · Kenya Rugby Union · The Eastleigh Voice: Shujaa, Lionesses to defend Safari7s titles as 18 teams confirmed · Scrummage Africa: List of 18 teams confirmed for 2026 Safari 7s · Nairobi Events Guide: 2026 Safari 7s · HapaKenya: Safari Sevens returns to Nyayo Stadium (2025) · HapaKenya: HSBC SVNS 2 in Nairobi (2026)