KILINOCHCHI, SRI LANKA — High energy matches,great organization, teamwork, and fair play made the 9th NEBT 2026 a grand success. The tournament officially launched with an inauguration ceremony held on September 4, 2026, at the Kilinochchi Indoor Stadium, the three-day event brought together 450 elite and emerging players from across Sri Lanka’s Northern and Eastern provinces. A highlight to this year’s event was the participation of badminton clubs from Sri Lanka’s Upcountry regions.
This multi-regional tournament required strategic coordination, inter-organizational synergy, and a dedicated player-first approach resulting in running 940 matches conducted across 34 categories over three days. The 9th Annual NEBT was spearheaded
by the World Tamil Badminton Federation (WTBF) in collaboration with the Northern Province Badminton Association and the Kilinochchi District Badminton Association.
The opening ceremony with its distinguished guests set a strong collaborative tone:
• Chief Guest: B. Muhunthan (Director of Sports, Northern Province)
• Guests of Honor: B. Subashkaran (President, Northern Provincial Badminton Association), K. Arankan (President, Kilinochchi District Badminton Association), and T. Kamalan (District Sports Officer, Vavuniya)
• Special Guest: Kandiah Singam (Founder, WTBF)
NEBT 2026 set a high benchmark for athletic administration with its meticulous timing and smooth organizing. To mitigate the physical strain on athletes traveling long distances from rural areas, the organizing committee delivered seamless logistical support structures—minimizing fatigue, maintaining optimal court conditions, and allowing competitors to perform at their absolute peak.
Structural integrity, fairness, and technical excellence across all draw divisions was ensured with its professional officiating by the referee panel. Beyond the scoreboard, the 9th NEBT served as a vital tool for capacity building and youth empowerment. NEBT’s youth categories ranging from U9 to U19 provides a platform that extends beyond wins and losses to focus on identifying young talent, fostering sports ethics, building selfconfidence, and nurturing future elite athletes for provincial, national, and international tournaments.
The event also featured categories for 30+, 40+, 50+ and combined 80+players, demonstrating that badminton is a lifelong sport, with senior players acting as role models for youth. In addition to providing high caliber matches, the tournament gave all
participating players extensive match experience and opportunities for skill development.
The tournament highlighted the powerful impact of top-down administrative planning meeting bottom-up athletic aspirations, ensuring that players from traditionally underrepresented areas receive access to high-level competition and structured mentorship. WTBF takes pride in its recent partnership with Upcountry players and clubs.
The organizational success of this event was shared in a heartfelt comment by Upcountry players, coaches and supporters:
“We are thankful and appreciative of your support. A heartfelt gratitude to you for your commitment towards our players and including us in your action plan for this year. We will always stand with you in the times ahead.”
The roaring success of NEBT 2026 stands as a testament to the sustained efforts of the WTBF leadership, regional associations, referees, and local volunteers. By delivering fast-paced, world-class tournaments, the federation continues to strengthen sports infrastructure in Sri Lanka and build lasting unity across communities.
BE TOGETHER BY SPORTS, FOR SPORTS
விளையாட்டின் மூலம் ஒன்றிணைவோம், விளையாட்டிற்காக ஒன்றிணைவோம்
WTBF 9th NEBT 2026 Kilinochchi 04 - 06 Sep 2026
WINNERS
Any Doubles U9
1 Shivapalan Aharathan Aharathan+Somesan Navinan
2 Balamurali Pageeshan Pageeshan+Adlin Adlin Sasikumar
3 Kavishnaa Pathmavathanan+Pranayetha Pradeepkumar
BS U9
1 Shivapalan Aharathan Aharathan
2 Somesan Navinan
3 Balamurali Pageeshan Pageeshan
GS U9
1 Sathuriya Suthakaran
2 Shanayaa Mankaleshan
3 Pranayetha Pradeepkumar
BS U11
1 Infaz Infaz
2 Ahgarhan Kamalan
3 Rajishan Birundthan
GS U11
1 Akashvi Rajeewan
2 Pirakash Pranitha
3 Joanna Achsah Edwin
BD U11
1 Rajishan Birundthan+Balamurali Thashvi Thashvin
2 Shiyanthan Aathish+Sothinathan Thulasihan
3 Kumaresan Jeevishen+Aadhykshan Jegan
BS U13
1 Surenthren Nathishshan
2 Varujan Hariharan
3 B. Linosh Dias Victory’s
GS U13
1 Thileepan Athvaidaa
2 Yazeevan Ragavarshani
3 Swarnigaa Jeyatharan
GD U13
1 Thileepan Athvaidaa+Yazeevan Ragavarshani
2 Joanna Achsah Edwin Kingshanth+Pirakash Pranitha Srilanka
3 Pathmashankar Heashni+Swarnigaa Jeyatharan
BD U13
1 Surenthren Nathishshan+Aathmyan Guy Pradeepan
2 Varan Dematagolla+Varujan Hariharan
3 B. Linosh Dias+T. Est Ron Victory’s
BS U15
1 Anthonithas Abishayan r
2 Kalam udeen Husain
3 Aadharsh Dushyanth R.K.M.Sri Koneswara
GS U15
1 Yadhurshika Shanmugavel
2 Balendra Bhanuja
3 Suseekaran Ashvigha
BD U15
1 Anthonithas Abishayan+Janush Rajeewan
2 Aadharsh Dushyanth+Akshanth Hariharan
3 Sivaneshan Makeesan+Vanniyasingam Varunishan Varunishan
GD U15
1 Balendra Bhanuja+Sarashnikaa Selvendra
2 Hasmiga Nisuyanthan+Aradhana Sam
3 Krishnarajh Asvitha+Vijikaran Banuja
BS U17
1 Ruvinda Sheron Jayasekara
2 Janarththanan Lakshikan
3 Prabaharan Aatheesh
GS U17
1 Mercy MEKLIN Perera
2 Karushaa Sritharan
3 Harishna Muhunthan
BD U17
1 Ketheeswaran Dhanujan+Saikrishna Yogananth
2 Prabaharan Aatheesh+Surenthren Sitsakan
3 Ruvinda Sheron Jayasekara+Siyath Nimnada Wickramasinghe
GD U17
1 Karushaa Sritharan+Janavasya Thillainadesan
2 Harishna Muhunthan+Anushmika Senthilanathan
3 Mercy MEKLIN Perera+Lakshaya Shanceevan
BS U19
1 Shanthakumar Aswin Aswin
2 W. Aji Ston Victory’s
3 Hithaisha Sadew Induwara
BD U19
1 Hithaisha Sadew Induwara+Subarakshan
2 Shanthakumar Aswin Aswin+Kamalanathan Kam
3 Expedit Shamson Coonghe+W. Aji Ston Victory’s
MD 50
1 Samarasingham Jeyakandan+Palanisamy Rajkumuanrited
2 Subasharan Balakrishnan+Thirumaaran
3 Paul Disni Kulasingam+Rajadurai Surendran
MS 50
1 Samarasingham Jeyakandan
2 Subasharan Balakrishnan
3 Paul Disni Kulasingam
WD 40
1 Mathy Shainu Shainu+Tharshini
2 Lagitha Quenston Jude Peries+Vijitha Vimalendraknandeepan
3 Sangeetha Sangeetha+Tharmini
MD 40
1 Pm. Kalamudeen+Sukitharan Sripanchardcharam
2 Mohamed Ibrahim Mubarak+Sara Adbul Ganee
3 Antony Benedict Jeyanthiran+Niroshan John
WS 40
1 Sangeetha Sangeetha
2 Vijitha Vimalendran
3 D Stephen Suganthini
MS 40
1 Niroshan John
2 Pm. Kalamudeen
3 Sukitharan Sripanchardcharam
COMBINED 80+
1 M A Nilusha Chathuranga Perera+Harshani
2 Kandeepan Satgunamoorthy+Dharsicka Suhirthan
3 Antony Benedict Jeyanthiran+Sathiyamathy Sritharan
MD 30
1 Kandeepan Satgunamoorthy+Thushanthan
2 Shasankan Kalanithy+Saparethinam Prashanth
3 Mark Jeyaratnam+Thayananthan Anathavadivel
MS 30
1 Thushanthan
2 Kathisan Baskaran
3 Anddru Aloysious
XD (OPEN)
1 Ketheeswaran Dhanujan+Isuli Nikeshala Rajapaksha
2 Peries Hentry L+Olivia Justin Paskaran Victory’s
3 Keerththanan Maheswaran+Rakavi Rajinikanth
WD (OPEN)
1 Isuli Nikeshala Rajapaksha+Siyansa Damnadi
2 Rakavi Rajinikanth+Keerthana Yoganathan
3 Priyakavi Pirabakaran+Sankavi Shanthan
MD (OPEN)
1 Subair Mohamed Aathil+Naveenaraj Arulalagan
2 Silvijan Dalima+S. Naveen Raj Victory’s
3 Keerththanan Maheswaran+Nishanthabalan Amalakuvendran
WS (OPEN)
1 Siyansa Damnadi Wickramasinghe
2 Olivia Justin Paskaran
3 Sankavi Shanthan
4 Jensika Loranz Kumar
MS (OPEN)
1 Silvijan Dalima Victory’s
2 S. Naveen Raj Victory’s
3 Nishanthabalan Amalakuvendran Deemash
4 Naveenaraj Arulalagan T
