The Asian Rugby Confederation launches the “Emirates Airline Cup” for club sevens

The Asian Rugby Federation announced the launch of the “Emirates Airline Cup Rugby Sevens for Asian Clubs”, as part of a strategic partnership with the company “UUDS AERO”, to be the first official continental club championship in the history of rugby with the sevens system on the level of the Asian continent.

The announcement of the tournament came after the signing of the partnership agreement between the Asian Rugby Confederation and UUDS AERO, in the presence of Qais Al Dhali, President of the Asian Rugby Confederation, and Manoj Bogoda, Chief Strategy Officer of the UUDS AERO Group and CEO of UUDS AERO DWC LLC, at the Asian Rugby Confederation’s headquarters at the National Olympic Committee in Dubai.

The initiative represents an important step in the development of club competitions in Asia, as the partnership reflects the commitment of both sides to support innovation, enhance the level of sporting performance, and establish the foundations of sustainability in club rugby competitions on the continent.

The Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, will host the first edition of the tournament with the participation of 8 of the most prominent men’s rugby sevens clubs in Asia, with the teams competing in 20 matches to be held on July 4 and 5, with the matches broadcast directly to fans inside and outside Asia, which contributes to enhancing the spread of the game and highlighting the level of participating clubs regionally and internationally.

Qais Al-Dhali said that the launch of the tournament represents a historic moment for Asian rugby, explaining that it is the first continental platform dedicated to clubs in rugby sevens competitions after it was traditionally held at the national team level. He added: We aspire for the tournament to become a prominent annual event on the Asian rugby agenda, with future plans to expand by adding women’s competitions alongside men’s competitions.

He pointed out that the continent of Asia is one of the fastest growing regions in the world in the sport of rugby, pointing out that the support of “UUDS AERO” will contribute to consolidating the tournament’s position as one of the most prominent club tournaments in the world, especially with the allocation of financial prizes to the top three teams, which enhances the level of professionalism in Asian club competitions.

Manoj Bogoda stressed that the company is proud to support sports initiatives that contribute to making a positive impact in society, noting that the values ​​of rugby such as teamwork, discipline and flexibility are in line with the company’s vision of supporting sports and building sustainable development paths.