Tickets are now on sale for Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 in Russia and tournament organisers believe that the winning blend of an attractive programme, world-class men's and women's Sevens and the very best of Russian hospitality and culture will make it one of the must-see events of the year.
Tickets are available at www.rwcsevens.com through both Russian and English languages and are priced from just GBP3 (less than US$5) for a day ticket and GBP8 (less than US$13) for a three-day pass as the Rugby Union of Russia look to attract new fans to a sport that has already started to capture hearts and minds within a sports-mad country where Olympic sports reign supreme.
The event, hosted at the iconic Luzhniki Olympic Park in Moscow from June 28-30, aims to take the Sevens experience a step further with a cultural, music and food festival set to provide an additional dimension to a sport that is globally renowned for its high-quality entertainment on and off the field of play.
The tournament will bring together the world's top 24 men's and 16 women's teams for three days of intense competition spread across two venues. Wales will be trying to retain the 2009 men’s title it won in Dubai while Australia’s women seek to keep their world champion status.
It is expected that competitive travel, visa and hotel packages for international visitors from official operators will attract thousands of fans from the competing teams. Details of those packages will be available at www.rwcsevens.com.
With Rugby Sevens making its Olympic Games debut in 2016, the sport has never enjoyed such a prominent global spotlight as it continues to grow beyond the traditional Rugby heartlands.
Rugby World Cup Limited Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “This is the day that Sevens fans in Russia and around the world have been waiting for as the tickets for Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 go on sale for the first time."
"Through a competitive ticketing programme and a global broadcast platform, Russia 2013 will give thousands of sports fans in Moscow and around the world the opportunity to experience this thrilling, all-action sport up close and personal ahead of our Olympic Games debut in Rio in 2016."
"Rugby Sevens is going from strength to strength around the world with record participation figures, more men's and women's nations competing at the top level, record attendance numbers and ever-growing broadcast figures and I am sure that Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 in Russia will write another memorable chapter in the Rugby Sevens success story."
President of the Rugby Union of Russia Vyacheslav Kopiev said: "Today is a special landmark for Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 as we are now engaging directly with the global Rugby family and general public. We offer a warm welcome to all visitors to Moscow and we are confident that you will leave knowing that you have been part of something special, a tournament that has connected with a new Rugby frontier and one that has added to the sport’s reach and left its mark.”
"Our goal is to deliver a spectacular Rugby World Cup Sevens with a ticketing policy that delivers a variety of ticket packages affordable for all visitors, with day tickets ranging from 150 rubles (GBP3, US$5) through to three-day packages from 400 rubles (GBP8) ranging up to top quality tickets with corporate hospitality," Kopiev told the assembled media.
"I would like to express my thanks for the support of the Russian business community and to the Russian Government, and the city of Moscow, all of whom are committed to delivering an event that will showcase the Game and drive further growth in the region."
Qualifying for the tournament kicked off in Moscow earlier this year and with the identities of 18 men's and 11 women's teams already known, anticipation is growing that RWC Sevens 2013 will build upon the success of the 2009 edition in Dubai and provide the perfect springboard for the sport's Olympic Games inclusion at Rio de Janeiro in 2016.