Manila Set to Host the 2026 Asia and Oceania SAMBO Championships

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has officially endorsed the 2026 Asia and Oceania SAMBO Championships, scheduled to take place in Manila from June 25 to 28 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The decision followed an official courtesy visit to the PSC by Pilipinas SAMBO Federation Inc. (PSFI) Founder and President Paolo Tancontian and Head Coach Ace Larida. The delegation also included SAMBO Union of Asia and Oceania Secretary General and Technical Delegate Suresh Gopi, as well as Sydney Sy Tancontian – Asia and Oceania SAMBO champion, World SAMBO Championships medalist, and Chair of the FIAS Athletes Commission.

PSC Chairman Patrick Gregorio expressed his appreciation to Secretary General Gopi for selecting Manila as the host city. He noted that organizing large-scale international competitions of this caliber plays a significant role in advancing the country's sports tourism agenda. The championships are expected to attract more than 500 athletes from 31 countries across the Asia-Oceania region.

With less than a month to go before the competition kicks off, the Philippines is actively preparing to perform on home ground. According to Head Coach Ace Larida, the national team – 21 athletes strong – is currently about 85 percent ready and motivated to defend their standing in front of a home crowd. The coach is confident the Filipino SAMBO athletes will reach peak condition by the time the tournament begins.