Inter-University Beach Volleyball Championship 2026
University of Vavuniya proudly served as host institution for the Inter-University Beach Volleyball Championship 2026. Held over three days of intense sand court action, the tournament brought together student-athletes, officials, and sports enthusiasts from state universities across Sri Lanka to showcase elite athletic talent and collegiate sportsmanship.
Following hard-fought group matches and knockout stages, the University of Kelaniya (KEL) and the University of Jaffna (JAF) emerged as Joint Overall Champions, sharing the highest spot on the leaderboard with 15 ranking points each.
Overall University Standings & Final Rankings
- 1st Place (Co-Champions): University of Kelaniya (KEL) & University of Jaffna (JAF) — 15 Points
- 3rd Place: University of Colombo (COL) — 13 Points
- 4th Place: University of Moratuwa (MOR) — 12 Points
- 5th Place (Tied): Sabaragamuwa University (SAB), University of Sri Jayewardenepura (SJP), & Uva Wellassa University (UVA) — 10 Points each
- 8th Place (Tied): University of Ruhuna (RUH) & South Eastern University (SEA) — 7.5 Points each
- 10th Place (Tied): Rajarata University (RAJ) & University of Vavuniya (VAU) — 5.5 Points each
- 12th Place (Tied): Eastern University (EST), Gampaha Wickramarachchi University (GWU), University of Peradeniya (PER), & Wayamba University (WAY) — 2.5 Points each
Group Stage Breakdown
A rigorous group stage across Pool A and Pool B determined seeding for the final knockout rounds.
Group A Highlights
- Group A Dominance: Kelaniya topped Group A with 30 tournament points, followed by Jaffna with 20 points.
- Knockout Qualification: Quarter-final pairings for Group A featured Moratuwa vs. Colombo, Sabaragamuwa vs. Ruhuna, Jaffna vs. Sri Jayewardenepura, and Kelaniya vs. South Eastern.
- Semi-Final Battles: Sabaragamuwa contended against Jaffna in the first semi-final, while Moratuwa faced Kelaniya in the second semi-final match.
Group B Results & Highlights
Group B saw high-energy competition across 17 completed matches during the preliminary stages:
| Match No. | Fixture | Score / Set Result | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Match 01 | COL vs. RUH | 2–0 | University of Colombo |
| Match 02 | UVA vs. SEA | 2–0 | Uva Wellassa University |
| Match 03 | EST vs. SAB | 2–0 | Eastern University |
| Match 04 | KEL vs. JAF | 0–2 | University of Jaffna |
| Match 05 | SJP vs. PER | 2–0 | University of Sri Jayewardenepura |
| Match 06 | MOR vs. WAY | 2–0 | University of Moratuwa |
| Match 07 | VAU vs. RAJ | 2–0 | University of Vavuniya |
| Match 08 | COL vs. UVA | 2–1 | University of Colombo |
| Match 09 | RUH vs. SEA | 2–0 | University of Ruhuna |
| Match 10 | KEL vs. EST | 2–1 | University of Kelaniya |
| Match 11 | JAF vs. SAB | 1–2 | Sabaragamuwa University |
| Match 12 | SJP vs. WAY | 2–0 | University of Sri Jayewardenepura |
| Match 13 | MOR vs. PER | 2–1 | University of Moratuwa |
| Match 14 | GWU vs. RAJ | 0–2 | Rajarata University |
| Match 15 | UVA vs. RUH | 2–0 | Uva Wellassa University |
| Match 16 | COL vs. SEA | 2–0 | University of Colombo |
| Match 17 | KEL vs. SAB | 2–0 | University of Kelaniya |
- Flawless Streak: Colombo (COL) delivered an unbeaten performance in Group B, sweeping matches against Ruhuna, Uva Wellassa, and South Eastern.
- Host Performance: Host University of Vavuniya (VAU) secured a dominant 2–0 victory against Rajarata University in Match 07 to strengthen their standings.
- Competitive Sets: Thrilling three-set thrillers were contested between COL vs. UVA (2–1), KEL vs. EST (2–1), JAF vs. SAB (1–2), and MOR vs. PER (2–1).
Closing Remarks
Organizers from the Department of Physical Education at the University of Vavuniya extend warm congratulations to all champions, participating teams, coaches, and visiting delegations. Their combined efforts made the Inter-University Beach Volleyball Championship 2026 an extraordinary celebration of university sports.
