Dubai Invitational, Open & Social 7s Nov 28-30: Schedule, Results, How to Watch

The 32nd annual Dubai Invitational 7s runs November 28–30, featuring an enormous festival with 17 divisions across eight fields. Our coverage will focus on the top-tier International Invitational and Open events, plus the exciting new Social Women’s division for pure fun.

While the event hosts the elite professional HSBC SVNS tournament, its heart remains in the vast mass-participation fields, a tradition that includes a rich history in women’s rugby.

A Legacy of Women’s Rugby in Dubai

The history of the women’s tournament in Dubai is a story of global growth. The first women’s sevens competition was held here in 1994, with Kuwait taking the inaugural Cup after defeating the Royal Hong Kong Police in the final.

For years, the tournament served as the premier international women’s invitational event, drawing a mix of official national selections (such as England, France, Canada, and Kenya) and talented ad hoc sides composed of international club and representative players.

This platform proved vital, eventually leading to the launch of the World Rugby Sevens Series. When the official IRB Women’s Sevens World Series was established for the 2012–13 season, the Dubai competition was rightly chosen as the very first leg.

Divisions of Competition and Noteworthy Participants

Today, the tournament offers 17 divisions of play across the eight beautiful fields of The Sevens Stadium. Our focus is on the women’s events, which highlight the diversity of participation:

• International Invitational Women: This is the top-tier competition for non-SVNS teams, often featuring national development squads (like Canada’s Maple Leafs in past years) or high-calibre international select teams. Past winners of the Invitational Cup showcase this elite level, including national sides like England (2008) and France (2009).
• International Open Women: A fiercely contested level for clubs and touring sides seeking a major international tournament title.
• International Social Women: The debut of this division is a significant and exciting addition, providing a new home for teams prioritizing fun, camaraderie, and the overall festival atmosphere alongside the rugby.

Our coverage will focus on the International Invitational, Open, and the new Social Women’s events, bringing you the schedules and results from every corner of the Sevens Stadium.

For readers interested in the elite professional competition, you can find our coverage of the Dubai SVNS here: scrumhalfconnection.com/2025/10/30/dubai-svns-nov-29-30-schedule-results-how-to-watch/.