Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Stadium debut marred by food chaos at Rugby Sevens

HONG KONG – Tens of thousands of rugby fans from around the world tested Hong Kong’s new 50,000-seat stadium over the weekend, and there was one common topic of conversation – how the catering failed to keep up with demand.

Despite no shortage of food outlets, service was slow, lines were long and in many areas hot meals repeatedly ran out over the course of the three-day Hong Kong Sevens. Frustration was evident among fans as they wandered from floor to floor seeking food, which included burgers, tandoori chicken wraps and char siew sausage rolls.  

On March 29, fans in the South Stand – the most raucous side of the stadium – waited over an hour to order drinks at a beer stand, which appeared to have only one credit card reader. In an outdoor stall at lunchtime on March 30, a scribbled list of four dishes replaced the official menu on display.

The chaos blemished an otherwise celebratory occasion.

Kai Tak Stadium is the centrepiece of a HK$32 billion (S$5.5 billion) sports park developed on the site of a former airport. The stadium has been specifically designed for the Sevens, the city’s biggest annual sporting event.

Some 110,000 fans attended the games over the three days, according to World Rugby chairman Brett Robinson.

The stadium has taken on greater political importance as Hong Kong looks to repair its international image and economy in the years following a crackdown on dissent, pandemic restrictions and China’s economic slowdown.

It is also a chance for redemption for the government after a series of event mishaps – football legend Lionel Messi caused embarrassment when he failed to play in a much-hyped game in 2024, and pop stars such as Taylor Swift have bypassed the city in their Asian tours.  

But even the city’s top bureaucrat responsible for sports was caught out by the food shortages. 

“I also had to wait in line for some time when buying a hamburger yesterday, so I told the venue operators to enhance their food supply services,” Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law said on March 30.

Despite the catering issues, the event mostly ran smoothly.

Argentina triumphed in the men’s competition, beating Olympic champions France 12-7, while in the women’s final New Zealand defeated Australia 26-19. The tournament was capped by a fireworks display.

Hong Kong’s leader John Lee, who attended the Sevens with his wife on March 30, said the games went well. 

“The first major tournament at the Kai Tak Stadium has successfully ‘scored a try’,” he wrote on social media, referring to the rugby equivalent of a goal. BLOOMBERG