Hong Kong will host Sri Lanka at the newly opened Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground on Sunday, June 22, in a pivotal match of the 2025 Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship, the Hong Kong China Rugby (HKCR) union has confirmed.
The home fixture at Kai Tak Sports Park’s secondary stadium is part of Hong Kong’s title defense in the four-nation round-robin tournament, which they have dominated by winning the last five editions. This year, however, offers a bigger prize: direct qualification for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
Hong Kong will play two other fixtures on the road—against the United Arab Emirates on June 13 and South Korea on July 5. Sri Lanka, their opponent at home, secured its spot in the tournament with an emphatic 59-19 win over Malaysia in April.
HKCR CEO James Farndon said staging matches at the new Kai Tak Sports Park is a significant milestone for the organization.
“With Hong Kong boasting a new world-class sports facility, like many sports associations, we are excited about the quality and scale of future events we can deliver at Kai Tak Sports Park,” Farndon said. “We know the team at Kai Tak will support us in delivering a great event both on and off the field.”
Head coach Andrew Douglas emphasized the importance of this year’s tournament.
“This year’s Asia Rugby Championship is hugely important for our men’s 15s programme,” he said. “An automatic qualification spot for the Rugby World Cup is a game-changer.”
Douglas highlighted the extensive preparation behind the campaign, including last year’s South American tour, a two-match series against Brazil in Hong Kong, and full domestic Premiership seasons for the players. Training camps in Australia and Japan have also been part of the buildup, with more overseas-based players under consideration.
“These trips are critical preparation for the three matches, including tough trips to the UAE and Korea, as well as the new challenge presented by Sri Lanka at Kai Tak,” Douglas added.
Team captain Josh Hrstich expressed his enthusiasm about returning to the Youth Sports Ground, where Hong Kong faced Brazil in a successful test match last November.
“The Youth Sports Ground is fantastic from a player’s perspective—the pitch, performance facilities, and atmosphere are all top-tier,” he said. “We’re excited to be back and hoping for strong fan support against Sri Lanka.”
In parallel, Hong Kong’s women’s team begins its campaign in the Asia Rugby Women’s Championship this Tuesday, facing Kazakhstan in Fukuoka, Japan.
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