Hamilton will return to the World Rugby sevens series in January 2023, after a two-year COVID-19 hiatus.
Last time the tournament was contested in 2020, New Zealand won both the men's and women's titles, en route to claiming the overall championships titles that year.
"The HSBC NZ Sevens has been one of the highlights of the sporting summer since it moved to Hamilton in 2018 and has left a gap in the events calendar over the past two years, due to COVID," says NZ Rugby tournaments & competitions head Cameron Good.
"We are thrilled to be bringing a truly international sporting event back to Aotearoa, back to Waikato and back to Hamilton.
"It's great news for the Black Ferns Sevens and All Blacks Sevens, who are desperate to play in front of their home fans again. It's great news for the local and regional economies, and it's great news for all the fans out there, who have made it such a vibrant and colourful celebration of sevens."
For the first 18 years, the NZ Sevens was held at Wellington's Sky Stadium, before moving north in 2018.
Co-promoter and 37 South managing director Dallas Fisher claims the event has brought $3 million into the local economy and created jobs across the Waikato region. The tournament was also named Best International Event at the NZ Events Association awards in 2018 and 2019.
"We've seen from previous events that the sevens brings people together from all parts of our community and, in 2023, we are going to create a truly multicultural festival at FMG Stadium Waikato," he said. "I can’t wait to see that sea of Fijian flags flying again in the stands again.
"It's a major boost to the hospitality sector, local businesses, tourism and also the morale of the region."
The tournament is scheduled for January 21/22.
