The 2026 FISU World University Championship Squash officially opened at Somaiya Vidyavihar University, transforming the campus into the global stage for university squash. CollegeSports

• Organised in collaboration with the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) under the aegis of the International University Sports Federation (FISU), and supported by the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI), the championship welcomes student-athletes from 14 nations to Mumbai from August 3–9.
• Student-athletes from 14 nations marched in a vibrant Parade of Nations, setting the tone for a week of competition, friendship and cultural exchange.
• Athletes, officials, dignitaries, students and volunteers came together for an Opening Ceremony that celebrated the unifying spirit of sport through the Athletes’ Oath, evocative sand art and cultural performances inspired by India’s diversity.
• More than a sporting event, the championship reflects Somaiya Vidyavihar University’s enduring commitment to creating opportunities where education, sport and global experiences come together for the next generation.

MUMBAI : Every institution has defining moments, but the ones that leave a lasting legacy are shaped by a vision carried forward across generations. Long before athletes from 14 nations arrived in Mumbai for the 2026 FISU World University Championship Squash, Shri K J Somaiya believed education should create opportunities that extended beyond the classroom. That belief shaped an institution where learning was never confined to academics alone, but embraced culture, sport and experiences that prepare students for life. Over the decades, that vision has been nurtured by people who believed in it, growing through shared dreams, collective effort and trust. As Somaiya Vidyavihar University inaugurated the 2026 FISU World University Championship Squash, that journey reached another significant milestone.

Over the next seven days, Brazil, the People’s Republic of China, Czechia, Spain, France, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Hong Kong China, Hungary, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa, Singapore, Switzerland and the host nation India will compete on Somaiya Vidyavihar University’s World Squash Federation-certified courts. Yet the significance of the championship extends beyond the competition itself. 

For the athletes, it is an opportunity to represent their countries on one of the world’s premier stages for university sport. More than 120 student volunteers from colleges across India, including 60–70 from Mumbai, came together to support the championship alongside thousands of young people on campus.  A world championship is no longer an event happening elsewhere; it is unfolding right here in Mumbai at their very own Somaiya Vidyavihar University It is an opportunity to witness international competition firsthand, contribute to an event of global significance and recognise that a university campus can be a place where world-class sporting moments are experienced, organised and created.

Somaiya Vidyavihar University has consistently invested in sporting infrastructure, athlete development and competitive pathways that enable students to pursue excellence in both academics and sport. From hosting national university championships and developing World Squash Federation-certified courts to supporting the Indian university squash contingent, it has created an environment where aspiring athletes can compete at the highest levels while continuing their education. Hosting the 2026 FISU World University Championship Squash is therefore not an isolated milestone, but the culmination of years of sustained institutional commitment to university sport.

For Samir Somaiya, Chancellor, Somaiya Vidyavihar University, the championship carries an equally personal significance. Having played squash for more than four decades, including during his years as a student overseas, he has long believed that a sport often associated with private clubs and limited access should be accessible within a university campus. His conviction has shaped the University’s approach to sport, where every student is encouraged to participate in at least one sporting discipline and the world-class Somaiya Sports Academy, Eklavya, has been developed to ensure access and opportunity are available to all. Hosting the championship represents not only another institutional milestone, but also another step in fulfilling a promise that began decades ago.

“When I went abroad to study, my grandfather asked me to build a university like the one I wanted to study in. Hosting the FISU World University Championship Squash is one more step in fulfilling that promise. Sport teaches us far more than winning. It teaches us to compete with ourselves, to work together, to lead, to lose with grace and to grow as individuals. Those are opportunities every student deserves. That is why sport is an integral part of education at Somaiya.” — Samir Somaiya, Chancellor, Somaiya Vidyavihar University 

As squash prepares for its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, events such as the FISU World University Championship create important pathways for student-athletes to compete internationally while continuing their education. They also reflect the increasingly important role universities play in developing sporting talent, investing in world-class infrastructure and strengthening the future of sport. Hosting the championship reinforces both Somaiya Vidyavihar University’s commitment to university sport and India’s growing stature as a destination for international sporting events.

CREDITS – INDIANEDUCATIONDIARY