The 2009 competition took place on 23 and 24 May in London, England, and was the seventh Cup trophy in the 2008-09 IRB Sevens World Series.
The tournament consists of four round-robin pools of four teams.
All sixteen teams progress to the knockout stage.
The top two teams from each group progress to quarter-finals in the main competition, with the winners of those quarter-finals competing in cup semi-finals and the losers competing in plate semi-finals.
The bottom two teams from each group progress to quarter-finals in the consolation competition, with the winners of those quarter-finals competing in bowl semi-finals and the losers competing in shield semi-finals.