The seedings for the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens will be announced by tournament officials at next month's Asian qualifiers in Hong Kong.

'We will be announcing the seedings and the competition schedule, at the Asia qualifiers in Hong Kong next month,' said Beth Coalter, RWC Sevens tournament director.

A total of 17 men's teams - of the 24 - have been confirmed. The Hong Kong event on October 4-5 will add another two as the qualifying process for both the men's and the women's World Cup hots up. Fiji, New Zealand, England, South Africa, Australia, France, Scotland and Argentina qualified automatically after reaching the Melrose Cup quarter-finals at RWC Sevens 2005 in Hong Kong.