The Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) has introduced changes to the Division 2 format of the men’s and women’s competitions for the upcoming 2026 National 7s Circuit, which kicks off with the Prinsloo 7s tournament at the Nakuru Athletic Club on July 25th and 26th.
The changes are aimed at making the competition more streamlined and competitive. The number of clubs in Division 2 has been reduced from 20 to 16, aligning the format with Division 1. The new structure will feature four pools of four teams, replacing the previous five-pool system.
After the pool stage, teams will progress to the Cup quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final, creating a uniform structure across both divisions.
The 16-team lineup will comprise the four teams relegated from Division 1 in the previous leg, the top four Division 2 finishers from the previous leg—excluding the promoted side—and nine additional teams.
Priority for the remaining slots will be given to regional teams from the host region of each tournament.
Division 2’s composition will therefore vary from one circuit leg to another, depending on promotion, relegation, and the host region.
In the women’s competition, all eight teams will now compete in a single division and will be split into two pools of four during the preliminary stage. Following the pool matches, all eight teams will advance to the quarter-finals.
The four quarter-final winners will qualify for the semi-finals before battling for a place in the final.
The four losing quarter-finalists will contest fifth-place semi-finals, with the winners meeting in the fifth-place playoff.
The two teams that lose the fifth-place semi-finals will be ranked seventh and eighth based on accumulated points.
Promotion and relegation will remain central to the circuit. The top-performing Division 2 team at each leg will earn promotion to Division 1 for the following tournament, while the lowest-ranked Division 1 side will be relegated.