Kenya is set to host one of the continent’s biggest women’s rugby events, with the 2026 Rugby Africa Women’s Cup (Performance Division) scheduled to take place in Nairobi from May 21 to May 31, 2026.
The tournament will be held at the iconic RFUEA Grounds, cementing Kenya’s growing reputation as a key destination for international rugby.
Hosting the tournament is a significant milestone for Kenya, coming just months after the country successfully staged the HSBC SVNS Division Two event earlier in the year.
The 2026 edition also carries added weight as it forms part of Rugby Africa’s 40th-anniversary celebrations, making Nairobi a central stage for marking the growth of rugby across the continent.
For Kenya, it’s more than just hosting rights. It’s a chance to showcase its ability to deliver world-class events while giving the national women’s team, the Lionesses, a home-ground advantage.
The tournament will feature four of Africa’s top women’s rugby nations. Kenya, South Africa, Madagascar and Uganda
The competition will follow a round-robin format, meaning each team will face every other team once across three primary match days.
At the end of the schedule, the team with the best overall record will be crowned champion.
Defending champions South Africa enter the tournament as clear favourites.
The South Africa Women’s national rugby union team have dominated the competition since its inception in 2019, winning every edition except for the pandemic-disrupted seasons in 2020 and 2021.
In the 2025 edition held in Antananarivo, South Africa extended their dominance with a commanding 61–17 victory over Madagascar in the final match, securing their fourth consecutive title.
Their consistency has also made them Africa’s primary representatives in global competitions such as the WXV and the Rugby World Cup.
For the Kenya Women’s national rugby union team, the 2026 tournament presents a golden opportunity.
The Lionesses finished as runners-up in the 2025 edition, winning two of their three matches and narrowly missing out on the title. With home support behind them, they will be looking to close that gap and challenge South Africa for top honours.
Uganda and Madagascar, who finished third and fourth respectively last year, will also be aiming to upset the established order and push for a stronger finish.
The stakes in Nairobi go far beyond continental bragging rights.
Top-performing teams from the tournament will qualify for the World Rugby WXV competition, feeding into global tiers such as WXV 2 and WXV 3 later in the year.
Performance in the 2026 Rugby Africa Women’s Cup will also influence qualification and seeding for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
The Nairobi tournament sits within a broader Rugby Africa calendar for 2026.
Earlier in May, Tunisia will host the Division One tournament, featuring lower-tier teams including Côte d’Ivoire and Morocco. While separate from the Performance Division, results from both competitions contribute to the overall development and ranking of teams across the continent.
Together, these tournaments highlight the growing structure and competitiveness of women’s rugby in Africa.
The Kenya Rugby Union has in recent years stepped up its organizational capacity, delivering international tournaments that have drawn strong fan attendance and positive reviews.
