The Sri Lanka Basketball Federation is set to host the FIBA U18 Asia Cup, SABA Qualifiers 2026 from the 25th to 29th of May at the iconic Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo.
A total of 12 matches will be played across five action-packed days, promising thrilling youth basketball action for Sri Lankan sports fans as the region’s emerging talents battle for qualification to the continental stage.
The Boys’ competition will feature four nations – Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and Maldives. The tournament serves as the South Asian qualifying event for the prestigious FIBA U18 Asia Cup 2026, which is scheduled to be held in Ahmedabad from the 13th to 23rd of August 2026. The upcoming edition will mark only the third occasion that the biennial flagship youth basketball event in Asia is hosted by India.
The Girls’ tournament will see Sri Lanka, India and Maldives competing for top honours and the winner will play in the FIBA U18 Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Division B from 13th to 19th July in Thailand.
Leading Sri Lanka’s efforts behind the tournament is MAS Holdings as the Main Event Sponsor and Team Sponsor for Sri Lanka.
Dialog Television together with the Dialog Play App and ThePapare.com have come on board as the Official Broadcasting and Telecommunications Partner for the event.
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The SABA Qualifiers 2026 is also proudly supported by the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka as part of the #Freedom250 initiative, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States while celebrating the worldwide influence of American culture and sports.
Further strengthening the tournament are sponsors such as Wilson, Munchee, Lemonade, Vaaj Wellbeing, Mercantile Services Basketball Association, Nel Farms and Pegasus Reef Hotel.
All 12 matches of the competition will be broadcast live by ThePapare through Dialog Television in HD quality, while local and global audiences can stream via the Dialog Play App and ThePapare.com. The production will feature an advanced 8-camera setup for every game along with an instant replay system, ensuring a world-class viewing experience for basketball fans around the globe.
