Nobody Does Rugby Like Hong Kong 2026

Hong Kong doesn’t do anything halfway, ever. The city has evolved from a quaint fishing village into a global financial powerhouse. From having no rugby at all, to being the heartbeat of the sport. Its energy, breathtaking pace, over-the-edge intensity – in Hong Kong, every day is game day. Cranked to the max.

This year, Cathay challenged Leo Hong Kong to build on its long-running “Nobody Does Rugby Like Hong Kong” campaign, which in 2026 commemorates the tournament’s 50th anniversary.

The agency started by asking: do we Hong Kongers sometimes take things just a bit too far? And is this the secret sauce that transforms the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Rugby Sevens from a mere sporting event into a cultural phenomenon unlike any other?

“We didn’t set out to make another rugby campaign, but to express a Hong Kong truth: the city doesn’t just host the sport, it pushes it over the edge. Just like it does to everything and everyone who passes through it. At 3am on a Tuesday, the city is just hitting its stride. We wanted this campaign to behave the same way: fast, loud, and impossible to ignore. If it feels a little excessive, that’s exactly the point,” explains João Braga, Publicis Groupe Hong Kong’s Global Executive Creative Director.

The launch film stars a Hong Kong Sevens-obsessed coach, whose fiery pep talks stretch across the globe, mobilising players and fans alike to embrace the spirit of the tournament.

“Cathay sponsored the very first Hong Kong Sevens tournament in 1976 and has been a travel partner and title sponsor ever since. For decades, our brand has helped to build Hong Kong’s local rugby culture, while flying in overseas fans to experience what’s become the biggest rugby party on the planet. ‘Nobody Does Rugby Like Hong Kong’ is as true as it ever was, but we’ve taken it to new heights for the tournament’s 50th anniversary,” says Edward Bell, General Manager, Brand, Insights and Marketing Communications at Cathay.

The campaign kicked off last December, when Cathay crashed the original home of rugby – Twickenham’s iconic The Scrummery, a pub that’s located close to Twickenham Rugby Stadium and is famous for its match-day parties. In a stealthy rebrand held during the Autumn Internationals series, The Scrummery was renamed ‘The Hong Kong Scrummery’, showing UK fans that Hong Kong doesn’t just match their rugby passion, it takes it to the next level.

With fan foot traffic reaching up to 50,000 during match days, Cathay took over every corner of the venue with Hong Kong Sevens energy. From coasters featuring QR codes unlocking early-bird discounts to boarding passes handed out to fans en route to the stadium, the activation successfully drove website traffic and package bookings.

The Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens returns from 17–19 April 2026 at the world-class Kai Tak Sports Park. As the event’s co-title sponsor and Official Overseas Travel Partner, flight, ticket, and accommodation packages are now available at Cathay.com.