The Fog’s yearly season starts in Fall with our Pathway to Rugby sessions (learn to play rugby!) and commences in Spring with our end of season team BBQ/banquet. During pre-season and the regular season practices take place on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 8pm-10pm at fields around San Francisco; on Thursday nights after practice the team will head to our home bar — The Pilsner Inn — for a drink.

The team also hosts fundraising events around San Francisco including Beer Busts, dance parties, stalls at Folsom, Pride and Dore Alley, The team participates in various social and philanthropic activities throughout the year too.

Furthermore, we participate in annual and bi-annual tournaments around the world including Rucktacular, Bingham Cup and NorAm.


 

Pre-season Practices

Pre-season practices are every Tuesday and Thursday from 7:45pm — all are invited to join!

 

Pre-season Match #1

9 November
Location: Field TBC, hosted in Marin.

  • SF Fog A/B sides vs Marin A/B sides

 

Pre-season Match #2

16 November
Location: Field TBC, hosted in Ukiah.

  • SF Fog A/B sides vs
    Mendocino Steam Donkeys


Pathway to Rugby (September - October)

Learn to play rugby with the Fog! Each fall, we host a six-week series of training sessions that cover all the fundamentals of rugby. This is the perfect way for prospective players to meet the team, have some fun, and learn some new skills!

Learn more about Pathway to Rugby → 

 

Pre Season (October - December)

  • We practice on Tuesday and Thursday nights, from 7:45pm - 10pm, every week. Everyone is welcome to attend our practices — rookies, alumni, and of course our regular players. We regularly go out for a beer after our Thursday night practices.

    Our practice fields vary depending on field availability — weekly practice information will be sent to players on our mailing lists. For up-to-date info about where practices will be held, email our President.

  • To prepare the team ahead of the season, the Fog will schedule some pre-season games with local teams to give new players a chance at testing their newly learnt skills and to integrate them with the senior players.

  • Every year the Fog will host a gathering, traditionally at the Pilsner Inn, to toast Mark Bingham and all the other former Fog teammates we have lost.

    All supporters, players and friends of the team are welcome.

  • This annual tournament rotates between West Coast IGR teams including San Diego Armada, Seattle Quake, San Francisco Fog, and LA Rebellion.

    The tournament is usually held on the first Saturday of December every year and the hosting is rotated between the teams above. With the host city putting on a welcome party the night before and after party to close the weekend out.

    Other IGR teams close to the West Coast sometimes participate including Portland, Arizona and Vancouver.

  • Held in December, the Fog hosts the Bingham Stein match to commemorate our teammate Mark Bingham.

    This match is traditionally played against the first USA Rugby team that was willing to play with a gay male team when we were first founded.

Regular Season (January - April)

  • We practice on Tuesday and Thursday nights, from 7:45pm - 10pm, nearly every week. Everyone is welcome to attend our practices — rookies, alumni, and of course our regular players. We regularly go out for a beer after our Thursday night practices.

    Our practice fields vary depending on field availability — weekly practice information will be sent to players on our mailing lists. For up-to-date info about where practices will be held, email our President.

  • In January before league matches start, a round robin tournament may be held with other teams in our NCRFU division.

    In mid to late January regular season play starts. Most Saturdays have either home or away matches with the occasional bye week.

  • Regular season concludes in early April with the league playoffs.

  • During the spring after league finals, the team still practices for one of two IGR tournaments.

    In odd-numbered years Fog competes in NorAM, the North American domestic IGR tournament .

    In even-numbered years Fog competes in the Bingham Cup, an international tournament hosting many IGR teams from around the globe named after fallen Fog member Mark Bingham.

  • In the summer, the team will have its end of year banquet where we will celebrate the year and give out team awards. Traditionally the rookies put on some type of performance. The type of performance and content is up to the rookies. Past years have included dances, skits, impersonations and lip syncs.

Off-Season / 7’s Season

  • During the summer, the team will hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM). At that meeting the team will discuss and vote on any amendments to the team bylaws and elect a new board of directors.

  • If there is enough interest the team will participate in a 7’s season including Thursday practices and Saturday games. The last of the 7’s games is traditionally Tight Five 7’s where being big and/or old is an advantage.

  • Players should focus on working out and keeping in shape, often times team members workout together or rely on each other for suggested workouts

    Team members also participate in local touch rugby in the summer too, to maintain their fitness.


Tournaments

Rucktacular

Yearly

This annual tournament rotates between West Coast IGR teams including San Diego Armada, Seattle Quake, San Francisco Fog, and LA Rebellion.

The tournament is usually held on the first Saturday of December every year and the hosting is rotated between the teams above. With the host city putting on a welcome party the night before and after party to close the weekend out.

Other IGR teams close to the West Coast sometimes participate including Portland, Arizona and Vancouver.

NorAm Cup

Bi-Annual (odd years)

The NorAm Cup is a North American domestic IGR tournament, the inaugural tournament was held in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2023.

The tournament will be hosted in the off-year to the Bingham Cup, the Fog is excited to participate and grow rugby within the US.

Over Memorial Day weekend in 2025, we will be travelling to Boston for the 2025 NorAm IGR Cup; our Bingham placement has earned us the #1 seed among North American IGR Teams.

Bingham Cup

Bi-Annual (even years)

The Bingham Cup, is the world championship of gay and inclusive rugby. This flagship IGR tournament was first held in 2002, in memory of 9/11 gay rugby hero, Mark Bingham.

The Fog, hosted the first cup back in 2002, attended by 8 teams.

Today, the event has grown to be the world’s largest amateur rugby tournament with teams, players and supporters traveling from around the to participate.

The tournament is hosted in a new city every 2 years it has been hosted by San Francisco, London, New York, Rome, Manchester, Nashville, Sydney, Ottawa, Amsterdam, Dublin and Minneapolis.

Bingham Cup 2026 will be hosted in August in Brisbane, Australia.


Notable Dates

September 11

Every year the Fog will host a gathering, traditionally at the Pilsner Inn, to toast Mark Bingham and all the other former Fog teammates we have lost.

All supporters, players and friends of the team are welcome.

Bingham Stein match

Held in December, the Fog hosts the Bingham Stein match to commemorate our teammate Mark Bingham.

This match is traditionally played against Mendocino Steam Donkeys; the first USA Rugby team that was willing to play with a gay male team when we were first founded.

Annual General Meeting

During the summer, the team will hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM).

At that meeting the team will discuss and vote on any amendments to the team bylaws and elect a new board of directors.

End of year banquet

The banquet is a time for players and coaches to celebrate the year and give out team awards.

Traditionally the rookies put on some type of performance, past years have included dances, skits, impersonations and lip syncs.


Philanthropy

The Fog has strong relationships within the San Francisco community, and we love giving back to charities and supporting those in need. 

We have a proud history of working with Tenderloin Tessie Holiday Dinners – proudly started by a Drag Queen 50 years ago – helping to feed the community at dinners held on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. 

If you know of additional opportunities to help with deserving local charities, please contact a Fog board member.