- Colombo Touch Rugby Club drives growth of Touch Rugby in Sri Lanka
Colombo Touch Rugby Club is heading to Kandy this weekend as the Paradise Touch Rugby Tournament 2026 brings two days of fast-paced international competition to the Kandy Sports Club Grounds, Nittawela, on 5 and 6 September.
The second edition of the Paradise Touch Rugby Tournament 2026 will see 12 local and international teams take to the field, including visiting teams from Bangalore and Goa in India, and Qatar. The tournament represents more than a weekend of competition. For the Colombo Touch Rugby Club, it is part of a broader effort to organise and take touch rugby beyond its traditional circles, introduce the sport to new audiences and create a stronger touch rugby community in Sri Lanka.
One of the defining features of this year’s tournament is its move to Kandy. While Colombo has been at the centre of the club’s activities since its establishment, taking the tournament to Nittawela reflects a deliberate decision to bring the sport to a wider audience. Kandy is seen as an important next step in creating greater awareness of touch rugby outside of Colombo and opening the door for players, sporting communities and spectators from across the island to experience the game. The tournament will also provide Sri Lankan players with the opportunity to compete against international opposition on home soil, without having to travel overseas to experience the pace and intensity of international touch rugby.
Founded in 2025, the club was formed with just 9 players. In a little over a year, that number has grown to a community of more than 180 men and women, reflecting the increasing interest in a sport that places speed, skill, teamwork and inclusivity at its centre. The club has also taken its players onto the international stage.
At the Goa Sevens in India in October 2025, Colombo Touch Rugby’s Mixed A team finished as Cup runners-up, while its Mixed B team placed fourth among 10 touch rugby teams. The club’s international campaign continued into May 2026 when Men’s and Mixed teams travelled to Thailand for the Chiangmai International Touch Tournament 2026. The Men’s team reached a Cup final once again, finishing as runners-up, while the Mixed team claimed the Shield.
For the club, these tournaments have provided more than competitive results. They have allowed Sri Lankan players to gain international experience, build relationships with players from other countries and bring new knowledge and enthusiasm back into the local game.
At the heart of the Paradise Tournament is FIT Touch Rugby, a fast and dynamic version of touch rugby requiring speed, agility, awareness and constant communication. With no tackling, the game places a strong emphasis on movement, passing, positioning and decision-making. Players are required to react quickly as the game moves rapidly from attack to defence. The format also creates an environment in which men and women can play together and contribute equally, making inclusivity a fundamental part of the sport rather than simply an added feature. This is one of the reasons Colombo Touch Rugby believes touch rugby has significant potential in Sri Lanka.
Colombo Touch Rugby Club hopes to see the sport develop within schools, sporting clubs, workplaces and communities, giving people of different ages, sporting backgrounds and levels of experience an opportunity to participate.
This tournament is ultimately about creating a sustainable sporting community. Bringing international teams to Sri Lanka gives local players the chance to test themselves against new opposition, while the presence of overseas teams also creates opportunities for cultural exchange and friendships through sport. The tournament’s second edition therefore marks another stage in Colombo Touch Rugby’s development as a step towards make touch rugby a sport that can be played, enjoyed and developed by communities across Sri Lanka.
Colombo Touch Rugby Club Co-Founders said: “This tournament is about much more than the games being played over these two days. We want to create opportunities for people to discover touch rugby, meet new people and become part of a community that continues to grow. Moving the tournament to Kandy is an important part of that vision. We want to take the game beyond Colombo, introduce it to new communities and show that touch rugby has a place in Sri Lanka’s sporting landscape.”
