The Indian Air Force International Squash Championship 2026 has kicked off at Air Force Station Chandigarh. Air Chief Marshal AP Singh inaugurated the five-day event, which brings together six teams, including international squads from the United Kingdom and Sri Lanka.

A major international sporting event has begun in Chandigarh. The Indian Air Force International Squash Championship 2026 commenced on August 31, 2026, at the Base Repair Depot, Air Force Station Chandigarh. Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Chief of the Air Staff, inaugurated the event as Chief Guest, formally opening five days of high-level squash competition.

This championship brings together some of the finest squash talent from India and abroad. In his opening remarks, Air Chief Marshal Singh welcomed all participating teams and highlighted how international sporting events like this one help build camaraderie, mutual respect, and friendship between nations.

Quick Facts: IAF International Squash Championship 2026

• Event name: Indian Air Force International Squash Championship 2026
• Commenced: August 31, 2026
• Concludes: September 4, 2026
• Venue: Base Repair Depot, Air Force Station Chandigarh
• Inaugurated by: Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Chief of the Air Staff
• Total teams: 6, including two international squads
• International teams: United Kingdom and Sri Lanka
• Also featured: A veterans’ category
• Event categories: Team events and an open singles category
• Duration: 5 days

What Is the IAF International Squash Championship?

The Indian Air Force organises this championship as a platform to bring together elite squash talent, both from within India and from overseas. This year’s edition unfolds over five days, running from August 31 to September 4, 2026, at the Air Force Station in Chandigarh.

Unlike a purely domestic tournament, this year’s championship carries a genuinely international dimension. Alongside Indian teams, squads from the United Kingdom and Sri Lanka are also taking part, giving the event a broader competitive scope. A dedicated veterans’ category runs alongside the main competition, ensuring that experienced former players also get a stage to compete on.

Tournament Structure and Format

Organisers have built this year’s championship around two main competition formats. The event includes structured team events, where squads compete against one another, as well as an open singles category, which draws individual entries from across the participating nations.

In total, six teams are competing in this year’s edition. This includes squads representing different segments of Indian squash, alongside the two international teams from the United Kingdom and Sri Lanka. The inclusion of a veterans’ team further broadens the competition, allowing multiple generations of squash talent to share the same tournament stage.

IAF International Squash Championship 2026: Key Details at a Glance

Detail	Information
Start date	August 31, 2026
End date	September 4, 2026
Venue	Base Repair Depot, Air Force Station Chandigarh
Total teams	6
International teams	United Kingdom, Sri Lanka
Special category	Veterans
Formats	Team events, open singles
Chief Guest at inauguration	Air Chief Marshal AP Singh

Highlights From the Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremony set an engaging tone for the tournament ahead. Beyond his formal remarks, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh also took part in a friendly exhibition match, pairing up with Air Marshal M Baladitya (Retd) against Captain Dan Peskett of the United Kingdom. This informal match added a personal, sporting touch to the day’s proceedings, alongside the event’s official inauguration.

Through this gesture, organisers reinforced the spirit behind the championship itself: bringing together military personnel, veterans, and international guests in a shared celebration of sport. This blend of ceremony and competitive camaraderie has become something of a hallmark for IAF-organised sporting events.

Why This Championship Matters

Sporting events organised by the Indian Air Force often carry significance well beyond the competition itself. They serve as a channel for building international goodwill, strengthening defence-related sporting ties, and showcasing India’s capacity to host world-class competitive events within its own military infrastructure.

The presence of teams from the United Kingdom and Sri Lanka adds an important international dimension to this year’s edition. As Air Chief Marshal Singh noted during the opening ceremony, tournaments of this kind help nations build stronger relationships through shared sporting interests, offering a valuable complement to more formal diplomatic engagement.

What to Expect Over the Coming Days

With six teams and both team and singles formats in play, the tournament promises a packed schedule between now and its conclusion on September 4, 2026. Matches will determine winners across the team competition, the open singles category, and the special veterans’ section, giving spectators and participants alike a wide range of squash action to follow throughout the week.

As the tournament progresses, results from these different categories are expected to generate strong interest, both among the participating countries and within India’s broader squash community. Given the international lineup and the structured format, this year’s championship looks set to maintain the competitive standard that previous editions of the event have established.

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