Rugby Sevens at the 2024 Summer Olympics: teams, format, where and when matches will take place

On 26 July, the main event in the world of sport over the last four years - the Summer Olympics in Paris - will kick off. The Dailysports team tells you what you need to know about one of the disciplines of the games - rugby sevens.

Rugby Sevens at the 2024 Summer Olympics: what's the format?

In the men's and women's rugby sevens tournament, the number of teams is the same - 12 - so the competition will follow a similar format. The teams are divided into three groups of four teams.

The two best teams from the group, as well as the two best teams, which will take the third place, will go to the quarter-finals. Its winners will advance to the semi-finals. The losers of this stage will meet in the match for third place.

Those who are eliminated in the quarter-finals will not go home immediately, because they will play another mini-tournament for 5-8 places.

The worst third-placed team and the last three teams in the group will face each other in the 9-12 place matches.

Rugby Sevens at the 2024 Summer Olympics: who will play?

The following groups have been drawn up:

Participants in the men's tournament:

• Group A: New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa, Japan
• Group B: Argentina, Australia, Samoa, Kenya
• Group C: Fiji, France, USA, Uruguay.

Women's tournament participants:

• Group A: New Zealand, Fiji, Canada, China
• Group B: Australia, Ireland, Great Britain, South Africa
• Group C: France, USA, Japan, Brazil

Rugby Sevens at the 2024 Summer Olympics: when and where will the matches be played?

All matches at the tournament will be played at the Stade de France in Paris. The men's tournament will take place from 24-27 July. On 24-25 July, all group stage matches will be played. On 25 and 27 July there will be matches for 9–12 places, on 27 July - all matches for 5–8 places.

The quarter-finals will be held on 25 July, and the medal matches, including the final - on 27 July.

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The day after the men's tournament ends, the women's competition will start immediately. Group stage matches will be held on 28-29 July, matches for 9–12 places - on 29 and 30 July, quarter-finals - on 29 July, matches for 5–8 places, as well as medal matches - on 30 July.

History of Rugby Sevens at the Olympic Games

Rugby, which is played with seven players on each team, became an Olympic sport relatively recently, namely in 2016.

Previously, a slightly different type of rugby was presented at the Olympics, which was played by 15 people in each team, but that was in the early 20th century, and only four times.

In the men's rugby sevens, the most successful team is Fiji, who have won the previous two Olympics. In the women's tournament, the gold medals are also in the Oceania region, namely Australia and New Zealand. The latter, moreover, have reached the final in all two tournaments.

When and where will the finals take place?

Both finals will take place at the Stade de France stadium in Paris. In the men's tournament, the winner will be decided on 27 July at 18:45 CET, while the women's gold medal winners will be clear on 30 July at 18:45 CET.