Oman Rugby Town Hall 2026: Building the Future Together

On Wednesday, 21 October 2026, the Oman Rugby Committee hosted its Town Hall 2026 at Golden Tulip Muscat, with the session also streamed live on the Oman Rugby YouTube channel. Under the theme “Building the Future Together,” the evening brought together players, clubs, partners, guests and representatives from several organisations. Chairman Nabil Al Busaidi and Head Coach Brian Hopkins led the session, tracing rugby’s journey in Oman from its arrival in the 1960s to the formation and recognition of the Oman Rugby Committee in 2021. They also covered membership of Asia Rugby and the Federation of International Touch, the national team’s debut at the 2024 Touch World Cup in Nottingham, and the hosting of AREST 2025 in Muscat, the first sanctioned international rugby event held in Oman.

The session also highlighted the progress made on and off the pitch, including more than 300 young Omanis engaged in the game, over 30 coaches, more than 45 match officials and over 60 qualified first aiders. The speakers outlined how Oman Rugby serves its community through four commitments: to protect, enable, develop and progress the game. They then set out the plans ahead, including:

• A National School Program

• The growth of women’s rugby

• Beach rugby

• The West Asia Rugby Association (WARA) regional pathway across ten nations

• Preparation for the 2028 Touch Rugby World Cup in Auckland, New Zealand

• The vision for the Astrodome, a year-round home and national headquarters for the sport

The evening closed with a live Q&A, in which the speakers answered questions submitted by attendees, guests and partner organisations in the room and online. The Oman Rugby Committee thanks everyone who attended and took part, and extends its sincere appreciation to the team whose dedication and careful planning ensured the evening ran smoothly. The full recording of the Town Hall is available on the Oman Rugby YouTube channel at youtube.com/@omanrugby.