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Lower Hutt will host the Global Games National Junior Girls Rugby Festival for the next three years from 2027, following a new agreement between Hutt City Council and sports events organisation Global Games.
The annual festival attracts more than 60 teams from around New Zealand, with girls aged eight to 14 competing over a weekend.
The 2027 event will coincide with the British and Irish Women’s Lions tour of New Zealand, including a test against the Black Ferns at Hnry Stadium on September 18, 2027.
Lower Hutt Mayor Ken Laban says the three-year agreement is expected to generate an estimated $3.6 million for the local economy.
“This event will attract thousands of young players, families and supporters from across New Zealand to Lower Hutt. They’ll stay in our accommodation, eat in our cafés and restaurants, shop in our businesses and experience everything our city has to offer.”
Global Games founder Tyrone Campbell says the success of the inaugural festival in Lower Hutt in 2025 made the city the natural choice to host future events.
Organisers expect the 2027 festival to be one of the largest celebrations of girls’ rugby held in Lower Hutt.
