NAIROBI, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Rugby Africa is hopeful the continent will enter more than two sevens teams in each gender for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

Abdelaziz Bougja, Africa Rugby president, said Kenya and South Africa have realistic chances of gaining automatic qualification to the Olympics through the World Sevens Series.

"Kenya and South Africa can win qualification to the Olympic Games through the World Series to open up space for lower-ranked teams to contest the single slot reserved for the continent," said Bougja in a statement on Monday.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed that the World Rugby Sevens Series will this season double as a qualifying competition for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

"As we enter an Olympic Games qualifying year, the World Series again promises to be highly competitive as teams look to secure their place at Tokyo 2020," World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont said in a statement.

The IOC said 12 teams will compete for medals in both the men's and women's rugby sevens competitions from July 27 to August 1 at the Tokyo Stadium.

Both men's and women's teams from Japan have secured automatic qualification as hosts of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, leaving 11 places in each event to be filled through the qualification process.

The top four teams in the men's and women's World Rugby Sevens Series 2019 will confirm their places in Tokyo.

An additional six teams will qualify through the men's and women's World Rugby regional association Olympic qualification tournaments.

Regional association tournaments will take place in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania and South America from June to December 2019. The top ranked team from each regional tournament will secure qualification.

The final opportunity for Olympic qualification will be at the World Rugby Olympic repechage tournament.

12 teams, consisting of the two highest ranked teams based on each region's 2019 regional qualification rankings, will be invited to participate in these tournaments to claim the last available places for Tokyo 2020.

At Rio 2016, Fiji, South Africa, New Zealand and England's men's sides earned automatic tickets through the World Series, while the women's sides from New Zealand, Canada, England and Australia made it through.

"Rugby sevens' inclusion in the Olympic Games has had a profound effect on the growth of the sport at all levels. As we enter another Olympic qualifying cycle, there is everything to play for," added Beaumont.

"We have a thrilling HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series and also expect the regional association qualification tournaments to be highly competitive."