Sri Lanka to Host South Asian U16 Netball tourney in 2026

By Susil Premalal

Netball Asia (NA) has announced that the South Asian Under-16 Schools Netball Tournament will be revived in 2026, with Sri Lanka awarded the hosting rights for its next edition.

The tournament, aimed at developing netball at the school level in South Asian countries, was previously held several years ago but became inactive after its inaugural edition due to inefficiencies among some national netball bodies. NA has now instructed regional authorities to revive the event, ensuring better organisation and participation starting from 2026.

Alongside the tournament, Sri Lanka will also host an international training session for school-level netball coaches in 2026, which will be conducted with the assistance of a world-class trainer provided under the auspices of Netball Asia. Arrangements to send the trainer to Sri Lanka within the coming months have already been agreed upon.

In addition, Netball Asia has pledged to give special consideration to Sri Lanka as a host for the 14th Edition of the Asian Youth Netball Tournament in 2027, further strengthening the country’s role as a regional hub for the sport.

Meanwhile, NA has also decided to launch the first-ever Asian Men’s Netball Tournament in Dubai in 2026, marking a significant milestone in expanding the game across genders and regions. These developments highlight Netball Asia’s commitment to promoting the sport throughout the region and ensuring opportunities for both young players and coaches to excel on the international stage.

The decision was made during the Netball Asia Congress held recently in South Korea under the leadership of Netball Asia President Lakshmi Victoria.