UK
Sri Lankan Community Celebrates Cricket, Culture and Charity at 36th Festival of Cricket in London: The vibrant spirit of Sri Lanka came alive in Greater London on July 12 as the 36th Festival of Cricket (FoC) 2026 brought together thousands of Sri Lankans, families, cricket lovers and friends of the community at Hainault Recreation Ground, Ilford.
Established in 1989, the Festival of Cricket has grown into one of the UK’s largest annual Sri Lankan community gatherings, combining competitive cricket with culture, entertainment, food, family activities and charitable initiatives. The organisers describe the event as a celebration of “Unity, Harmony and Togetherness.”
30 Men’s Teams and 11 Women’s Teams Take the Field
Cricket remained the heart of the festival, with 30 men’s school Old Boys’ Association teams and 11 women’s teams taking part in this year’s competition. The men’s tournament featured 64 matches, while the women’s tournament included 12 matches.
The tournament ultimately saw Isipathana College crowned Cup champions, defeating Zahira College, while Royal College secured the Plate championship. Zahira College finished as Plate runners-up.
In the women’s competition, Visakha Vidyalaya and Anula Vidyalaya shared the championship honours. Ravindu Ratnayake of Isipathana College was named Player of the Tournament, while Lakshan Edirisinghe of Zahira College received the Player of the Final award.
Chief Guest and Festival Leadership
The festival was honoured by the presence of His Excellency Nimal Senadheera, representing the High Commission of Sri Lanka in the United Kingdom, who attended as Chief Guest.
The 2026 Festival of Cricket was led by Krishan Bulathsinghala of Nalanda College, who served as President. The executive committee included Nisanka Rodrigo of St Joseph Vaz College as Secretary, Janak Ranasinghe of Royal College as Treasurer, Anura Perera of St Sebastian’s College as Vice President, Praneeth Hettiarachchi of St Aloysius’ College as Assistant Secretary and Naresh Nagaraja of St Michael’s College as Assistant Treasurer.
The committee represents the wider network of Sri Lankan school Old Boys’ Associations in the UK, whose volunteers work throughout the year to stage the festival and support its charitable objectives.
Home Lands Leads Corporate Support
The 2026 event also received significant corporate backing, with Home Lands and its Pentara Residencies project serving as headline sponsors.
Other major supporters included Bank of Ceylon (UK) Limited, BVS Mortgages & Wealth Management and USL, alongside other sponsors, partners and businesses that supported the festival.
The official Festival of Cricket organisation says its 2026 souvenir publication recognises the contribution of sponsors and partners whose support helped make the event possible.
The involvement of businesses from the property, banking, financial services and other sectors reflects the increasingly important role of the Sri Lankan business community in supporting cultural and charitable activities in the UK.
More Than Just Cricket
Across the eight cricket pitches, the sporting action continued throughout the day, while the wider festival grounds offered something for every generation.
Visitors enjoyed Sri Lankan food and international cuisine, commercial and trade stalls, live music, cultural performances, a children’s funfair and a beer tent. The official festival describes the event as bringing together families, friends and long-lost acquaintances from across the UK and around the world.
The festival also provided an important platform for younger members of the Sri Lankan-British community to connect with their heritage through music, culture and sport.
Charity at the Core
Behind the celebrations is a strong charitable mission. Festival of Cricket proceeds support causes in both Sri Lanka and the UK, including Cancer Research UK, Anthony Nolan and Cancer Relief Sri Lanka, as well as school charities and other deserving community initiatives.
The festival’s charitable work has deep roots. When the event was first organised in 1989, fundraising was undertaken to purchase medical equipment for the Children’s Cancer Ward at the Maharagama Cancer Institute in Sri Lanka.
More recently, the organisation has continued its support for cancer care and other humanitarian initiatives, including assistance to communities affected by disasters.
A Legacy That Continues
The Festival of Cricket was first conceived in 1988 by G.C. Perera, then Sports and Social Secretary of the Ananda Old Boys’ Association in the UK. The inaugural festival involved six Old Boys’ Associations—Ananda, Royal, St Thomas’, St Peter’s, Trinity and St Anthony’s—and was held in 1989.
More than three decades later, the festival has developed into a major annual gathering celebrating Sri Lankan identity in Britain.
The success of the 2026 edition demonstrated the enduring appeal of a simple idea: bringing people together through cricket. With school rivalries on the field, friendships off it, cultural performances, Sri Lankan food and charitable giving, the Festival of Cricket continues to connect generations of the Sri Lankan diaspora while keeping the island’s heritage alive in the United Kingdom.
