My hometown of Edinburgh, Scotland hosted the 1986 Commonwealth Games — an international, multi-sport event happening every four years. As a young laddie, I volunteered to help sell programmes. My two abiding memories of the Games were getting decathlete and two-time Olympic gold medalist Daley Thompson's autograph, and my father complaining bitterly about the costs of the Games and how the local taxpayers would be left to foot the bill.
And he was right. Back in those days when one spoke of the "legacy" of sports events, it was more often than not in a negative sense. It took Montreal 30 years to pay off the debts left by the 1976 Olympics, whilst the cost overruns when Athens hosted in 2004 were a significant contributor to Greece's subsequent national debt crisis and economic downturn.
However, in more recent years, there have been more examples that illustrate the positive impacts sports events can have on communities, economies, and the environment — contributing to long-term benefits and sustainability.
Whether the legacy that remains will be positive or negative is not just something that happens by chance. The efforts being made by Hong Kong China Rugby (HKCR) around their hosting of the upcoming World Rugby WXV Global Series Challenger 2026 tournament, however, nicely demonstrate this point.
WXV Global Series Challenger 2026
This women's 15-a-side tournament is an important event for our city, bringing together six international representative teams to participate over three weeks at the Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground — and its significance has been recognized by the government, with the Major Sports Events Committee (MSEC) awarding the rugby event the prestigious "M" Mark status.
The status symbolizes a new series of signature sports events bolstering Hong Kong's status as a sports and mega event capital.
And with this upcoming event, there is much at stake. HKCR Women's XV first debuted in 2017 in Ireland, becoming the first representative rugby team to qualify for the Rugby World Cup.
A 50-Year Legacy in the Making
When it comes to sorting out legacy plans, the HKCR is at a distinct advantage given its 50 years of experience hosting the Cathay/HSBC Sevens. Plus, their engaged, passionate local community sits at the very heart of the exciting initiatives that are being rolled out over the coming weeks. It also doesn't hurt to have, amongst your management team, an individual like Jamie Farndale, their General Manager for Club Development & Sustainability. Jamie himself competed at two Commonwealth Games and has become a globally recognized voice through his role as an International Olympic Committee Sustainability Ambassador.
As Jamie explains, whilst there will naturally be a focus on girls' and women's rugby, every effort has been made to engage the entire community across all ages, both on the pitch and off it:
"To mark the one-week countdown to the opening match day, we joined with the Mini Rugby Union to host a Mini WXV Day last Sept. 5, 2026 at King's Park Sports Ground, with 250 youngsters aged from 8 to 11 years getting to play in the colors of the six participating teams — Fiji, Spain, Netherlands, Brazil, Samoa, and of course, Hong Kong, China."
Hong Kong currently ranks 16th in the world, just behind Samoa at 15th. Spain follows at 14th, while Fiji holds the 13th spot. The Netherlands is at 27th, just two spots behind 25th-ranked Brazil. The final resulting standings will affect their qualification for the Rugby World Cup 2028.
Each participant also received a souvenir shirt, a mini WXV medal, and an education workbook with facts about the participating countries. He continues, "Alongside the tournament, 100 girls from older age groups had an opportunity to enjoy a skills training session run by HKCR senior coaches, with our professional Sevens players also taking part in some fun skill games. The whole day centered around the chance to watch the Samoa and Hong Kong, China teams have a training game together, and then grab autographs and selfies with the stars.
Having all of our next generation of talent playing and training alongside these superstars in one colorful celebration of girls' and women's rugby really created that 'see it to be it' space, and I love the idea of how many girls might have left the day having decided they are going to one day play for Hong Kong, China."
Hong Kong's Next Generation of Talent
Whilst playing skills are being honed on the pitch, young creative talent is also being nurtured in the stands, as HKCR has joined with World Rugby to offer 16 budding content creators the opportunity to join a workshop and learn from the pros on how to more effectively capture and tell stories. On the tournament match days, each participant will be assigned a team to follow and produce content on, with ongoing tips and advice from their assigned mentors.
What about the adults? I hear you cry - well, never fear, HKCR has got plenty lined up for them as well, as Jamie explains:
"We're running a coach-shadowing program throughout the duration of the WXV, with young female coaches being given full access to watch the international teams go through their training and match preparations. These coaches will then use what they have learned as part of a coaching task force that will deliver 10 Rugby Rising sessions in local schools, introducing students to the basics of the game along with the values of rugby and the important life skills it imparts."
And last, but by no means least, a special Women in Rugby Summit will be held alongside WVX, leveraging the tournament as a platform to bring together some of the most passionate hearts and influential minds in women's sport. Themed "From Opportunity to Impact," the summit will feature panelists from the international rugby community, entrepreneurs, and senior leaders, providing a powerful platform to explore the opportunities and potential for advancing women's sport, both in Hong Kong and globally.
All in all, it seems that, however the ball bounces on the day and whichever team takes home the silverware, there's going to be a lasting legacy from WXV Challenger 2026 — and that's truly something we can all celebrate.
For more information, visit Hong Kong China Rugby's official website or follow them on Instagram.
World Rugby WXV Global Series Challenger 2026
Location: Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground, 38-39 Shing Kai Road, Kowloon
Dates: Sept. 13, 19, and 26, 2026
Admission Fee:
- Single-Day Tickets (3 matches): HK$180 for Adults, HK$140 for Students, and HK$100 for Children
- 3-Day Tickets (9 matches): HK$450 for Adults, HK$350 for Students, and HK$250 for Children
Tickets are on sale online via the official website of HK Rugby.
