Rugby Sevens

Rugby sevens is a smaller, shorter version of rugby union football, in which the teams have only seven players and play seven-minute halves. Before Olympic inclusion, the discipline appeared in four editions of the World Games, from 2001-2013, always with a single men’s tournament.

Rugby sevens was approved for inclusion to the Olympic Programme by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board in 2001, but the proposal was tabled by the IOC Session, and dismissed at the 2005 IOC Session. It was brought up again in 2009, when the IOC approved it for inclusion at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, and the discipline has featured at every subsequent edition of the Olympic Games since then.

As of 2024, the medal table is led by New Zealand and Fiji, both with four medals and two golds. Jerry Tuwai, one of the players from Fiji, leads the men’s table, with three medals and two golds, followed by his compatriots Iosefo Masi and Waisea Nacuqu, both with two medals and one gold. South African Rosko Specman has also won two Olympic medals in rugby sevens, but both bronzes.

The women’s table is even more dominated by players from Oceania. Eight female players from New Zealand have won two Olympic golds in this discipline, led by Sarah Goss-Hirini, Tyla Nathan-Wong-King, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, and Theresa Fitzpatrick-Setefano, these four adding a silver medal to their two Olympic titles.

Rugby sevens is governed by World Rugby (WR), which is recognized by the IOC. Founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board, it was renamed to the International Rugby Board in 1996, and to its current name of World Rugby in November 2014. As of January 2026, the organization has 134 affiliated national member unions (118 full members and 16 associate members).