Manila: Promising young sepak takraw athletes will display their talents in the Under-19 Asian Championship to be hosted by the Philippines at Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila from November 16 to 22. The landmark continental tournament will feature competitions in regu, quad, and mixed quadrant categories.
According to Philippines News Agency, the hosting was formalized with the signing of the letter of agreement between the Asian Sepak Takraw Federation (ASTAF) and the Philippine Sepak Takraw Association, Inc. (PASTAI) in December last year. Under the agreement, ASTAF officially authorizes PASTAI to host the tournament in full compliance with the International Sepak Takraw Federation (ISTAF) 2023-2025 tournament hosting requirements. This includes adherence to international technical standards, competition formats, and governance protocols.
The championship will be officiated by international technical officials and match officials appointed by ISTAF. The letter of agreement also outlines the host association's responsibilities, covering local event delivery, venue preparation, logistics, security, athlete services, media facilities, transportation, accommodation, tournament promotion, and technical operations.
Marketing, commercial, and broadcasting rights for the championship remain vested with ISTAF, reinforcing the event's international positioning and ensuring global visibility for one of Asia's premier youth sepak takraw competitions. The hosting of the ASTAF U-19 Asian Championship 2026 marks a significant milestone for Philippine sepak takraw, strengthening the country's role in regional sports development and youth high-performance pathways.
The championship is expected to bring together Asia's top under-19 athletes, officials, and stakeholders, while contributing to sports tourism, regional cooperation, and grassroots-to-elite athlete development in the Philippines. The event further reflects ASTAF's confidence in PASTAI's organizational capacity and the Philippines' readiness to deliver a world-class international sporting event aligned with global standards.
