Bahrain’s men and Lebanon’s women emerged as champions at the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy – West & Central 2026, delivering commanding performances at Ayla Oasis in Aqaba, Jordan, to secure their places in the 2027 Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series.
The tournament concluded with contrasting stories of triumph and heartbreak as both Jordanian teams reached their respective Cup finals on home soil, only to see their championship dreams shattered by two determined opponents.
In the men’s final, Bahrain defeated hosts Jordan 26–12 to complete an unbeaten campaign and lift the coveted Cup title. Having narrowly edged Jordan 7–5 during the pool stage, Bahrain once again proved too strong when the two sides met in the tournament’s biggest match.
Bahrain had earlier booked their place in the final with an impressive 33–12 semi-final victory over Lebanon, while Jordan delighted their home supporters by defeating Pakistan 22–0 to set up the championship showdown.
Despite falling short in the final, Jordan’s journey to the title decider was a significant achievement in front of their passionate supporters.
Pakistan, meanwhile, finished third after producing a strong response against Lebanon in the bronze-medal match, securing a convincing 29–7 victory. It was their second win over Lebanon during the tournament.
Pakistan’s Mohsin Raza enjoyed an outstanding campaign, finishing as the competition’s leading try-scorer with seven tries.
In the women’s competition, Lebanon delivered a flawless championship performance, winning all six matches to claim the Cup title in emphatic fashion.
After sweeping through all four pool fixtures, Lebanon defeated Saudi Arabia 17–5 in the semi-finals before producing another commanding display to overcome Jordan 22–0 in the final.
Jordan had earlier secured their place in the championship match after edging Syria 12–10 in a tightly contested semi-final, giving the home crowd another reason to celebrate as both their men's and women's teams reached the Cup finals.
Although Jordan were unable to complete the double triumph, their performances provided plenty of encouragement for the hosts.
Syria eventually claimed the women's bronze medal, defeating Saudi Arabia 15–10 to finish their campaign on a winning note.
As the celebrations began in Aqaba, Bahrain and Lebanon had every reason to celebrate. Their respective Cup victories not only crowned them champions of the West & Central Trophy but also earned them promotion to the 2027 Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series.
For Bahrain and Lebanon, Aqaba marked the beginning of a new journey towards the next level of Asian rugby sevens. For Jordan, it was a campaign filled with promise, passion and the experience of competing for silverware on home soil.
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