October 15, 2019—The Largest Annual Rugby Event in the United States will be held in Los Angeles and Feature the World’s Best 16 Teams February 29-March 1, 2020. 

The HSBC LA SEVENS, part of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, will take place February 29-March 1, 2020 in Los Angeles at Dignity Health Sports Park, it was announced today by Dan Lyle, Director of AEG Rugby.

This is the annual USA stop in the Men's Sevens World Series, which covers 10 cities around the world, including Paris, London, Hong Kong and Sydney.

Tickets will be released for sale to the public on Wednesday October 16. 

Dignity Health Sports Park, home of the NFL’s LA Chargers and MLS LA Galaxy, and future host venue for the 2028 Summer Olympic Games, will host the two-day event with over forty games providing more than eight hours of play each day, as well as a fan festival showcasing international food, music, culture and entertainment for fans throughout each day. Another unique component of the two-day event, is the grassroots community tournament, the Los Angeles Invitational, which will take place on the outer fields around the stadium, with 300 community teams playing in co-ed divisions of youth, high-school, college and adult clubs.

The HSBC LA SEVENS is expected to draw a weekend attendance of over 45,000 international rugby fans. 

The United States Men’s Sevens National Team, currently ranked #2 in the world, will be one of 16 of the world’s best national teams competing in the HSBC LA SEVENS, also featuring: Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Kenya, Samoa, Fiji, Japan, Canada, and the 16th team still to be determined, which will be a non-core team that has already qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.

Tickets for HSBC LA SEVENS will go on sale to the public Wednesday October 16 at www.LAsevensrugby.com or by calling 1-888-9AXS-TIX. 

Local Support

"Teams from around the world come to Los Angeles to compete because of the diversity, talent, and passion that has made L.A. one of the great sports towns,” said LA Mayor Eric Garcetti. “HSBC LA SEVENS will make our athletic tradition even richer and give fans everywhere another reason to visit our city.”

“We are thrilled to be hosting a major rugby event, HSBC LA SEVENS, in our city,” added Kathryn Schloessman, President & CEO of the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission. “We have built an unprecedented schedule of high-profile sports and entertainment events for the next decade that includes the 2020 MLB All-Star, 2022 Super Bowl, the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship, and the 2028 Summer Olympic & Paralympic Games.  HSBC LA Sevens is a perfect way to kick off this championship run by welcoming the world to Los Angeles.” 

As Nielsen research has reported the USA has the highest proportion of rugby fans worldwide with more than 33 million people, American fans will have the chance to see Team USA up close in Los Angeles. As noted, currently ranked as the #2 team in the world, Team USA has already qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics. The HSBC LA SEVENS event will also offer a preview of a world championship event in advance of the 2028 LA Olympic Games, in the same venue where the Olympic Rugby competition will take place.

World Support

“There is a lot of excitement building ahead the Los Angeles tournament of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series from both players and fans," said World Rugby Chairman, Sir Bill Beaumont. “Rugby is growing in popularity at a rapid rate in the USA, particularly after a record-breaking Rugby World Cup Sevens in San Francisco last year and with both men’s and women’s sevens teams finishing second on the 2019 world series.

“Not only do we have the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on the horizon, but with LA hosting the Olympics in 2028, there’s a huge amount to look forward to as rugby sevens continues to win new fans in the USA and around the globe.”

“The HSBC World Series is a special pillar within the rugby world and we are ecstatic for the series to continue its presence in the United States,” added USA Rugby CEO, Ross Young, “Los Angeles truly sets the stage here in 2020 with our Men’s Sevens reaching new heights, the Olympics merely months away and the Invitational Tournament returning as community engagement around the tournament.” 

HSBC Bank, Regional Head of Marketing, Cindy Wong said: “Following the successful Rugby World Cup Sevens last year in San Francisco, HSBC is excited to bring the tournament back to the West Coast and its incredible fans. Hosted in Los Angeles in 2020, we are proud to partner with World Rugby to drive the success and awareness of this remarkable event. This is a great opportunity for the sports’ continued growth in the USA and will give more fans in more cities around the world the opportunity to watch a dynamic, growing sport.”

“We are hugely excited to play our home tournament in Los Angeles at Dignity Health Sports Park,” said USA Men’s Coach Mike Friday. “Southern California will provide a great atmosphere for rugby especially with the LA 2028 Olympic Games on the horizon. We look forward to having the energy of a vocal home crowd behind us as we strive for another successful tournament on home soil.”

Tickets for HSBC LA SEVENS will go on sale to the public Wednesday October 16 at www.LAsevensrugby.com or by calling 1-888-9AXS-TIX.