Axellerate has extended its partnership as the Official Apparel Partner for the McDonald’s Coral Coast Fiji 7s for a further three years.
Coral Coast 7s says at the heart of the partnership is a shared belief in providing Fijian grassroots and club rugby players with an international stage to showcase their talent.
The organisers say the Coral Coast Fiji 7s has developed a unique position on the global sevens calendar by bringing overseas teams, national sides and some of world rugby’s biggest names to Sigatoka to compete against Fiji’s best club and invitational teams.
They say the 2027 tournament will again underline that international reach, with approximately 50 percent of participating teams coming from overseas across the Men’s, Women’s and Youth competitions.
The Men’s division will feature 24 teams, bringing together leading Fijian club and invitational sides with overseas challengers, while the Women’s competition will feature 12 teams and the Youth competition 16 teams.
The organisers say despite the increasingly international nature of the tournament, one remarkable record remains intact — no overseas team has ever won the McDonald’s Coral Coast Fiji 7s Men’s title.
Tournament Founding Chairman Jay Whyte says the record demonstrates both the extraordinary depth of rugby talent in Fiji and why the tournament provides such an important international platform for local players.
He says one of the things that makes the Coral Coast 7s so special is that it brings the international rugby world to Fiji, rather than asking grassroots players to find their way to the international stage.
Whyte says a young player from a Fijian village or club can come to Lawaqa Park and suddenly find himself playing against international players, national teams and athletes who compete on the world sevens circuit.
He adds that it is an extraordinary opportunity to showcase talent, and players do not need an overseas airfare, an agent or an international contract to be seen — they simply need to perform at Lawaqa Park.
Whyte says the tournament’s history demonstrates just how formidable Fijian grassroots rugby remains, with overseas teams travelling to Sigatoka with outstanding players and tremendous rugby pedigrees, but no overseas team has ever managed to take the Men’s title out of Fiji.
He says that says something very powerful about the depth of rugby talent in the country.
He also says these overseas teams are not coming for an exhibition, but to win.
He adds that when they arrive at Lawaqa Park, they discover just how difficult it is to beat Fijian club and invitational teams on their own soil.
For local players, Whyte says that creates a genuine international shop window, as they are not just playing in front of their own community but are testing themselves against international opposition and showcasing what Fijian grassroots rugby can produce.
He says it is this combination of international competition and grassroots opportunity that closely aligns the McDonald’s Coral Coast Fiji 7s with Axellerate’s own philosophy.
Axellerate Managing Director Fiji Anthony Toscano says the company is proud to extend its association with the tournament for another three years.
He says Axellerate’s vision is very similar to that of Whyte and the Coral Coast 7s Committee, as it is all about supporting the community and growing alongside grassroots sporting teams in Fiji.
He says the Coral Coast 7s is an iconic tournament because of its blend of grassroots Fijian teams and visiting overseas teams, including teams and players who compete on the international sevens circuit.
He adds that the tournament has been a well-organised event that has continued to grow, and they are very proud to once again be the Official Apparel Partner.
Toscano says the international dimension of the tournament, combined with its unmistakably Fijian character, made the partnership particularly attractive to Axellerate.
He says Fiji is the home of sevens rugby, and overseas teams come here not only to play against some of the best sevens talent in the world, but also to experience the genuine and friendly hospitality Fiji has to offer.
He further says the entire Coral Coast community comes together to create an incredible Fijian experience, and the tournament has become an important event not only on Fiji’s sporting calendar, but increasingly for the international teams that travel here to compete.
He adds that through the partnership, Axellerate will continue to provide quality rugby playing apparel and official Coral Coast 7s merchandise.
Whyte says securing Axellerate for another three years was particularly important as the tournament enters its next phase of international growth.
He says they want partners who understand that the Coral Coast 7s is much more than three days of rugby.
He says it is an international sporting event, a tourism showcase for Fiji, a pathway and platform for grassroots players and, importantly, a community event that remains free for everyone to attend.
He adds that Axellerate understands that vision and has backed it with a three-year commitment, and they are delighted to continue growing together.
The 15th McDonald’s Coral Coast Fiji 7s will be staged at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka from 14th to 16th January 2027.
The tournament will feature 24 Men’s teams, 12 Women’s teams and 16 Youth teams, with leading Fijian talent competing alongside teams and players from around the world.
