Borneo’s premier international rugby sevens tournament returns with participation from 16 teams and living up to its tagline, “The Greenest 7s in the World”
SANDAKAN, March 27, 2026 – The Borneo 7s Rugby Tournament is set to return on April 11th and 12th, 2026, with participation from 16 teams representing eight countries competing across men’s and women’s divisions.
Advertisement
Organised by Eagles Rugby Club, the 2026 edition will return to the Home of the Eagles, attracting clubs from Malaysia, Australia, Belgium, the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
Eagles Rugby Club President Velayuthan Tan (Vela) said: “This tournament puts Sandakan on the regional rugby map and gives young athletes a stage to compete against international opposition.”
“Having talents from all over the world will give the local community something to look forward to, and this will not only improve the standard of the local rugby scene, but also give our talents exposure to high-level rugby. This will inspire young athletes to take up the sport, not only in this community but also across the wider Sabahan and Malaysian communities.”
With participating teams from Europe, Central Asia, Australia and the ASEAN region, the tournament is expected to attract rugby fans and sports tourists from around the world, as it has in previous years.
Matches will be held over both days at Eagles Rugby Club Stadium, featuring fastpaced sevens rugby from some of the strongest club and national teams in the AsiaPacific and beyond.
The Greenest 7s in the World
Borneo 7s emphasises its sustainability commitment through action: the club, along with the Sabah State Forestry Department, sponsors, selected players and community leaders, will carry out a tree planting initiative as part of the tournament’s green legacy programme, fulfilling one of the ESG pillars the club established years ago.
This initiative unites Eagles Rugby Club, the local City Council, Sabah State Forestry Department, event sponsors and community leaders in a shared effort to promote environmental stewardship.
“Borneo 7s is built on three things: competitive rugby, the importance of involving the community, and a genuine commitment to the environment as the green legacy is as important to us as the final score,” Vela added.
Participating Teams
Men’s Division: Nationwide Nadi 7s (Australia), Borneo Eagles (Malaysia), Malaysia Unis (Malaysia), Malaysia 7s (Malaysia), Fizzapapa’s Belgium Rugby 7s (Belgium), DKI Jakarta (Indonesia), Kazakhstan Rugby, Uzbekistan Rugby and additional teams to be confirmed.
Women’s Division: Borneo Flyers (Malaysia), Eagles Select (Philippines), BAC Singapore (Singapore), DKI Jakarta (Indonesia), Kazakhstan Rugby, Uzbekistan
Rugby and additional teams to be confirmed.
Event Details
• Date: 11–12 April 2026 (Friday–Saturday)
• Venue: Eagles Rugby Club Stadium, Sandakan, Sabah
• Divisions: Men’s and Women’s
• Hashtags: #BORNEO7S #greenest7s #RUGBYWITHPURPOSE
