May 5th, 2026 | Broadcast
Unity Through Football overcame Renown Football Academy by 3-2 in an absorbing final to clinch the inaugural LSR Copa Simha Under-12 Football Championship held on April 25 and 26 at the D.S. Senanayake College ground in Wijerama Mawatha.
Unity Through Football, who emerged runners-up of Group ‘C’ next to finalists Renown Football Academy, returned with great vengeance to win the crucial final in a nail-biting final. Both teams advanced to the final with confidence as eventual winners Unity Through Football defeated Gateway College by 3-0, while Renown FA overcame Football Lab Academy by 1-0 in the semi-finals.
Winners – Unity Through Football
Renown FA enjoyed a good run in the initial round of the two-day competition, but failed to live up to their expectations when mattered most. However their star striker Ferdinand Storyberg was named the Most Valuable Player of the competition, while M.S.M. Pisari of Unity Through Football won the award for the Top Goal Scorer. In the third place playoff, Gateway College overcame Football Lab Academy by 1-0.
In the quarter-finals, Unity Through Football defeated Manchester Soccer Academy 3-1, while Renown FA beat Colombo International School by 2-1. Gateway College overcame Wesley College by 2-1 while Football Lab Academy beat Colombo Youth Football by 2-1 to reach the semi-final stage.
Runners-up – Renown Football Academy
From the group stage, Manchester SA topped Group ‘A’ with nine point and advanced to the quarter-finals alongside runners-up Colombo International School, who claimed six points. Hills Football Academy and D.S. Senanayake College failed to advance from the group stage. Wesley College topped Group ‘B’ with nine points and entered the quarters with Football Lab Academy, who claimed six points, while Stafford International School and Rangiri Dambulla NS failed to move ahead.
Overall runners-up Renown FA topped Group ‘C’ with four points, alongside eventual winners Unity Through Football, who also claimed four points to enter the quarters, while without a single point Colombo Kickersz stalled their campaign from the two-day competition. With four points each, Colombo Youth Football topped Group ‘D’, while Gateway College emerged runners-up, with Colombo Athletic and Football Club failed to move ahead.
Most Valuable Player – Ferdinand Storyberg of Renown FA
The inaugural Copa Simha was presented by Lanka Sportreizen (LSR), the country’s leading organisation sporting and sports tourism promoter, who partnered with SingaCup, a Singapore-based youth football advocate, to launch its famed Copa Simha in Sri Lanka. LSR’s first youth sporting initiative, featured competition in the Under-12 Boys Category.
As an entity that promotes tourism through sports in Sri Lanka, LSR has played a pivotal role in the planning, coordination, and successful execution of major sporting events for nearly two decades. The LSR Colombo Marathon, attracting thousands of local and international long distance runners, Sri Lanka T-Cup Coast-to-Coast Road Cycling Event, Rumble in the Jungle Mountain Bike Championship, and multiple international and domestic surfing events held across Sri Lanka’s coastal belt, are a few events LSR organise, conduct and promote the country through sports tourism on an annual basis.
Top Goal Scorer – M.S.M. Pisari of Unity Through Football
“All these events have been managed to the required international standards with a strong emphasis on professionalism, safety, and positive stakeholder collaboration. Even by hosting Copa Simha, LSR followed the same protocols and standards, to meet the criteria of our partners, SingaCup of Singapore and the country’s football federation, who are very supportive to this cause,” stated Thilak Weerasinghe, the Chairman of Lanka Sportreizen.
“This is an initiative made in 2011 in Singapore and this year is our 16th edition. Football is a sport that has no boundaries and open to any person, help form new friendship and unite different communities. This is a partnership that could grow to become a fruitful one, productive and beneficial for the young athletes who will become part of this,” Selvakumar Panneerselvam, the Managing Director of SingaCup.
Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
The SingaCup is one of the annual and main sporting attractions in Singapore, a country that has already gained fame and recognition for hosting the Singapore F1, World Rugby 7s Series, Singapore Triathlon and Singapore Table Tennis Smash. The SingaCup has gained the same recognition as any other international sporting event hosted by Singapore, for helping young footballers shape their talents and reach international standards with the exposure it provides.
After its success following the inaugural edition, Copa Simha will now become part of LSR’s annual sports calendar. The Under-12 Boys Football Tournament was designed to provide young athletes with valuable international exposure, competitive match play, and opportunities for cross-cultural engagement.
Original Article: https://www.sundaytimes.lk/260503/sports/unity-through-football-seal-inaugural-copa-simha-640304.html
April 28th, 2026 | Broadcast
Unity Through Football won the inaugural Copa Simha Under-12 Youth Football Championship 2026 at the D.S. Senanayake College ground, Colombo, which concluded after two days.
COLOMBO, 28 April 2026 – Report and photos courtesy of Ryan Fernando. Fourteen teams played 26 matches on one venue (three pitches) over two days.
Highest margins of victory (preliminaries)
Group A: Manchester Soccer Academy beat D.S. Senanayake College 11-0; Colombo International School beat Hills Football Academy 6-0; Manchester Soccer Academy beat Hills Football Academy 6-0.
Group B: Football Lab Academy beat Rangiri Lions 1-0; Wesley College B beat Rangiri Lions 10-0.
Group C: Unity Through Football beat Colombo Kickerz 4-2; Renown Football Academy beat Colombo Kickerz 3-0.
Group D: Colombo Youth Football Club beat Colombo Athletic & Football Club 4-0; Gateway College beat Colombo Athletic & Football Club 4-2.
Quarter-finals
Unity Through Football beat Manchester Soccer Academy 3-1; Gateway College beat Wesley College 2-1; Renown Football Academy beat Colombo International School 2-1; Football Lab Academy beat Colombo Youth Football Club 2-1.
Semi-finals
Unity Through Football beat Gateway College 3-0; Renown Football Academy beat Football Lab Academy 1-0.
Consolation final
Gateway College beat Football Lab Academy 1-0.
Championship final
Unity Through Football beat Renown Football Academy 3-2.
Final placings
Winners: Unity Through Football. Runners-up: Renown Football Academy. Second runners-up: Gateway College. Third runners-up: Football Lab Academy.
Highest goal scorer: M.S.M. Pisari (jersey 10, Unity Through Football), four goals.
Most valuable player: Ferdinand Storyberg (jersey 10, Renown Football Academy), who was also the second-highest goal scorer with three goals.
Source: Sports with Haritha (report and photos courtesy of Ryan Fernando)
Article Link: https://sportswithharitha.com/unity-through-football-are-unbeaten-champions/
April 28th, 2026 | Broadcast
Unity Through Football (UTF) won the Copa Simha Under-12 youth football tournament, with Renown Football Academy (RFA) as runners-up, beating them 3-2 in a sharp final.
COLOMBO – Unity Through Football (UTF) took the title at the Copa Simha Under-12 youth football tournament. Renown Football Academy (RFA) finished as runners-up.
Played at the D.S. Senanayake College ground in Colombo over the weekend, the final was a sharp contest that UTF edged 3-2 against RFA.
The tournament’s top scorer was M.S.M. Pisari of UTF, who scored four goals. RFA’s Danish player Ferdinand Storyberg was named the most valuable player of the tournament.
UTF and RFA reached the final by beating Gateway College (GC) and Football Lab Academy (FLA) in the semi-finals. UTF beat GC 3-0, while RFA beat FLA 1-0.
In the third-place match, GC defeated FLA 1-0.
LSR, which successfully stages international events such as the Colombo Marathon, the Sri Lanka T-Cup road cycling race and the Rumble in the Jungle mountain bike championship, and plays a prominent role in Sri Lanka’s sports-tourism sector, organised this first youth football tournament. Fourteen international schools, government schools, football clubs and football academies took part with great enthusiasm.
The 2026 Copa Simha trophy and medal presentation was headed by Lanka Sportreizen founder chairman Thilak Weerasinghe. Attending were Selva Panneerselvam, tournament director of the Singapore Simha Cup, the main tournament of the Simha Cup series, LSR chief executive officer D.K.R. Dharmapala and event manager Ryan Fernando.
By Warnan Gunasekara, sports reporter, The Leader
Source: The Leader (translated from Sinhala)
Article Link: https://theleader.lk/sports/40822-lsr-copa-simha-unity-through-football
April 27th, 2026 | Broadcast
The Sri Lanka leg of the Copa Simha U-12 football tournament, organised by Lanka Sportsrysan (LSR), was won by Unity Football Club.
COLOMBO, 27 April 2026 – The Under-12 Copa Simha football tournament, staged across several Asian countries, was introduced to Sri Lanka for the first time, and Unity Football Club succeeded in winning the title at this first-ever edition.
Sixteen teams took part. The two that qualified for the final were Unity Football Club and Renown Football Academy, and Unity won the final 3-2.
The trophies were presented by Copa Simha tournament director Panneerselvam from Singapore, LSR chairman Thilak Weerasinghe and chief executive officer D.K.R. Dharmapala, together with invited guests.
Match results
Copa Simha results
Group A: Manchester Soccer Academy 9 points (winner); Colombo International School 6 (runners-up); Hills Football Academy 3; D.S. Senanayake College 0.
Group B: Wesley College (B) 9 (winner); Football Lab Academy 6 (runners-up); Stafford International School 3; Rangiri, Dambulla 0.
Group C: Renown Football Academy 4 (winner); Unity Through Football 4 (runners-up); Colombo Kickers 0.
Group D: Colombo Youth Football 4 (winner); Gateway College 4 (runners-up); Colombo Athletic & Football Club 0.
Quarter-finals: Manchester Soccer Academy 1 – Unity Through Football 3; Wesley College (B) 1 – Gateway College 2; Renown Football Academy 2 – Colombo International School 1; Colombo Youth Football 1 – Football Lab Academy 2.
Semi-finals: Unity Through Football vs Gateway College (pitch 1); Renown Football Academy vs Football Lab Academy (pitch 2).
Third-place match: Gateway College (1) vs Football Lab Academy.
Source: Kelisara (Sinhala text translated; results as published in English)
Article Link: https://kelisara.com/the-inaugural-first-addition-of-the-lsr-copa-simha-under-12-football-tournament-came-to-an-end/
February 4th, 2026 | Broadcast
Lanka Sportreizen (LSR), a leading organization in Sri Lanka’s sporting and sports tourism landscape, is pleased to announce the launch of its newest youth sporting initiative – Copa Simha – scheduled for 25 and 26 April 2026 in Colombo.
COLOMBO, 4 February 2026 – The inaugural edition of Copa Simha will feature competition in the Under-12 Boys category, welcoming teams from Sri Lanka and overseas.
For decades, LSR has played a pivotal role in the planning, coordination, and successful execution of major sporting events in Sri Lanka. Its portfolio includes the LSR Colombo Marathon, attracting thousands of local and international runners annually, the Sri Lanka T-Cup Coast-to-Coast Road Cycling Event, Rumble in the Jungle Mountain Bike Championship, and multiple international and domestic surfing events held across Sri Lanka’s coastal belt. All events have been managed to international standards with a strong emphasis on professionalism, safety, and positive stakeholder collaboration.
Aligned with its long-term strategy of promoting Sri Lanka as a competitive and attractive sports tourism destination, LSR continues to drive initiatives that contribute to youth development, cultural exchange, and economic impact. The organization actively works to bring international athletes and supporters to the country while strengthening Sri Lanka’s positioning within the global sports ecosystem.
As part of its 2026 sports calendar, LSR will host Copa Simha – U12 Boys Football Tournament, designed to provide young athletes with valuable international exposure, competitive match play, and opportunities for cross-cultural engagement. Beyond performance on the pitch, the event aims to encourage grassroots football growth, uplift youth sporting standards, and foster lasting relationships between Sri Lankan and international football communities.
Hosted in Colombo – a city known for its rich sporting heritage, hospitality, and accessibility – Copa Simha will be conducted in accordance with recognized football regulations and will place priority on fair play, safety, and positive sporting values. LSR will oversee match scheduling, field coordination, ground maintenance, security, medical services, and full event management to ensure a seamless, aligned tournament experience.
LSR recognizes that youth football is about more than competition – it represents character-building, learning, and inspiration. Through Copa Simha, the organization aims to shape confident, disciplined, and globally minded young athletes while strengthening Sri Lanka’s reputation as a welcoming and competitive destination for international youth sport.
Source: TimesOnline (The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka)
Article Link: https://sundaytimes.lk/online/business/LSR-announces-Youth-Football-Tournament-Copa-Simha-April-2026/10-1151287
February 4th, 2026 | Broadcast
Lanka Sportreizen (LSR), a leading organisation in Sri Lanka’s sports and sports-tourism sector, will hold its newest youth sports event, the Copa Simha football tournament, in Colombo on 25 and 26 April 2026.
COLOMBO, 4 February 2026 – The first stage of the Copa Simha tournament will be held for the Under-12 Boys (U12 Boys) category, and teams from Sri Lanka as well as overseas are expected to take part.
As part of its 2026 sports calendar, LSR is staging the Copa Simha U12 boys’ football tournament, designed to give young players valuable international experience, competitive match opportunities and the chance to build relationships across different cultural backgrounds.
Beyond sporting performance, the event aims to promote grassroots development of football, raise youth sports standards, and foster long-term relationships between the Sri Lankan and international football communities.
Source: Divaina (translated from Sinhala)
Article Link: https://www.divaina.lk/sports-news/58812
February 1st, 2026 | Broadcast
Lanka Sportreizen (LSR) recently announced the launch of its newest youth sporting initiative Copa Simha, a football tournament scheduled for 25 and 26 April in Colombo.
COLOMBO, 1 February 2026 – The inaugural Copa Simha will feature Under 12 boys’ football talent, including teams from Sri Lanka and overseas.
For decades, LSR has played a pivotal role in conducting major sporting events in Sri Lanka.
Its portfolio includes the LSR Colombo Marathon, attracting thousands of local and international runners annually; the Sri Lanka T-Cup coast-to-coast road cycling event; the Rumble in the Jungle Mountain Bike Championship; and multiple international and domestic surfing events held across Sri Lanka’s coastal belt.
Source: The Morning
Article Link: https://www.themorning.lk/articles/lcZdUFfDLYkHghdnzbEO
February 1st, 2026 | Broadcast
Lanka Sportreizen (LSR), Sri Lanka’s leading sports and sports-tourism promoter, will partner with SingaCup, a Singapore-based youth football advocate, to launch Copa Simha in Sri Lanka.
Sunday Times (Sri Lanka), 1 February 2026 – LSR’s newest, and first, youth sporting initiative is scheduled to take place in Colombo on 25 and 26 April, featuring competition in the Under-12 Boys category and welcoming teams from Sri Lanka as well as abroad.
As an organisation that promotes tourism through sports in Sri Lanka, LSR has played a pivotal role in the planning, coordination and successful execution of major sporting events for nearly two decades. The LSR Colombo Marathon, which attracts thousands of local and international long-distance runners, the Sri Lanka T-Cup Coast-to-Coast Road Cycling Event, the Rumble in the Jungle Mountain Bike Championship, and multiple international and domestic surfing events held across Sri Lanka’s coastal belt are a few of the events LSR organises, conducts and promotes each year as sports tourism.
All these events have been managed to the required international standards, with a strong emphasis on professionalism, safety and positive stakeholder collaboration. By hosting Copa Simha, LSR would follow the same protocols and standards, to meet the criteria of our partners, SingaCup of Singapore and the country’s football federation, who are very supportive of this cause.
Thilak Weerasinghe, Chairman, Lanka Sportreizen
Aligned with its long-term strategy of promoting Sri Lanka as a competitive and attractive sports tourism destination, LSR continues to drive initiatives that contribute to youth development, cultural exchange and economic impact. The organisation is actively involved in bringing international athletes and supporters to the country while strengthening Sri Lanka’s position within the global sports ecosystem.
This is an initiative that began in 2011 in Singapore, and this year will be our 16th edition. Football is a sport that has no boundaries and is open to any person, helps form new friendships and unites different communities. This is a partnership that could grow to become a fruitful one, productive and beneficial for the young athletes who will become part of this.
Selvakumar Panneerselvam, Managing Director, SingaCup, speaking to reporters in Colombo
The SingaCup is one of the annual and main sporting attractions in Singapore, a country that has already gained fame and recognition for hosting the Singapore F1, the World Rugby 7s Series, the Singapore Triathlon and the Singapore Table Tennis Smash. The SingaCup has gained the same recognition as any other international sporting event hosted by Singapore, for helping young footballers shape their talents and reach international standards through the exposure it provides.
The SingaCup has gone beyond Singapore by now, and Sri Lanka will be the latest addition to join the list of over 15 countries. The winner of Copa Simha from Sri Lanka will join our main tournament in Singapore, to be held in November later this year.
Selvakumar Panneerselvam
Part of LSR’s 2026 sports calendar
Copa Simha will now become part of LSR’s 2026 sports calendar. The Under-12 Boys Football Tournament, designed to give young athletes valuable international exposure, competitive match play and opportunities for cross-cultural engagement, is to become an annual event that grows beyond its initial status.
Beyond performances on the pitch, LSR aims to encourage grassroots football growth, uplift youth sporting standards, and foster lasting relationships between Sri Lankan and international football communities. Yes, it will feature local teams from across the country, but in time to come we hope to elevate Copa Simha to an international event that would unearth future football stars.
Thilak Weerasinghe
Hosted in Colombo, a city known for its rich sporting heritage, hospitality and accessibility, Copa Simha will be conducted in accordance with recognised football regulations and will place priority on fair play, safety and positive sporting values. LSR will oversee match scheduling, field coordination, ground maintenance, security, medical services and full event management to ensure a seamless, well-aligned tournament experience.
LSR recognises that youth football is about more than competition; it represents character-building, learning and inspiration. Through Copa Simha, LSR aims to shape confident, disciplined and globally minded young athletes while strengthening Sri Lanka’s reputation as a welcoming and competitive destination for international youth sport.
Lanka Sportreizen
The SingaCup Football Experience in Dambulla
Before unveiling Copa Simha earlier this week, LSR and SingaCup joined forces to introduce their newly formed affiliation with the SingaCup Football Experience in Dambulla last year. The inaugural SingaCup Football Experience brought together 100 schoolchildren from Pohoranwewa Junior School, Theladinnath Wewa Junior School and Rathmalgahaela Junior School for a professional football training session. Attended by coaches from Singapore, families and community members, the event not only inspired young athletes but also underscored the power of sport as a catalyst for development, cultural exchange and tourism. Building on this momentum, the foundation was laid for Sri Lanka to host Copa Simha, a brand promoted by SingaCup.
Since 2011, SingaCup has established itself as the premier international youth football tournament in Asia, providing a platform for young talents to showcase their skills, compete at the highest level, and build friendships across borders.
Source: the Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)
Article Link: https://www.sundaytimes.lk/260201/sports/lsr-brings-famed-copa-simha-to-sri-lanka-629993.html
January 28th, 2026 | Broadcast
Lanka Sportsreizen (LSR) announced the launch of its latest youth sporting initiative, Copa Simha, scheduled to take place on 25-26 April in Colombo.
COLOMBO, 28 January 2026 – Lanka Sportsreizen (LSR), a leading organisation in Sri Lanka’s sporting and sports tourism landscape, announced the launch of its latest youth sporting initiative – Copa Simha – scheduled to take place on 25-26 April in Colombo at a media briefing at Cinnamon Lakeside on Tuesday (27).
According to tournament organisers the Copa Simha is Sanskrit for the simple words Cup Sinha or in other words Sinha Cup, and they noted that in order to give the tournament a truly local flavour they had settled on the Sanskrit words.
For decades, LSR has played a pivotal role in the planning, coordination and successful execution of major sporting events in Sri Lanka.
Its portfolio includes the LSR Colombo Marathon, attracting thousands of local and international runners annually, the Sri Lanka T-Cup Coast-to-Coast Road Cycling event, Rumble in the Jungle Mountain Bike Championship, and multiple international and domestic surfing events held across Sri Lanka’s coastal belt.
All events have been managed to international standards with a strong emphasis on professionalism, safety, and positive stakeholder collaboration.
Aligned with its long-term strategy of promoting Sri Lanka as a competitive and attractive sports tourism destination, LSR continues to drive initiatives that contribute to youth development, cultural exchange, and economic impact.
The organisation actively works to bring international athletes and supporters to Sri Lanka while strengthening the country’s positioning within the global sports ecosystem.
As part of its 2026 sports calendar, LSR is set to host Copa Simha – U12 Boys Football Tournament, designed to provide young athletes with valuable international exposure, competitive match play, and opportunities for cross-cultural engagement.
Source: SriLankaSports.com
Article Link: https://www.srilankasports.com/2026/01/28/lsr-to-bring-copa-simha/
January 28th, 2026 | Broadcast
Lanka Sportsreizen (LSR) announced the launch of its latest youth sporting initiative, Copa Simha, scheduled to take place on 25-26 April in Colombo. The tournament is set to enhance the local sports landscape.
COLOMBO, 28 January 2026 – Lanka Sportsreizen (LSR), a leading organisation in Sri Lanka’s sporting and sports tourism landscape, announced the launch of its latest youth sporting initiative – Copa Simha – scheduled to take place on 25-26 April in Colombo at a media briefing at Cinnamon Lakeside on Tuesday (27).
According to tournament organisers the Copa Simha is Sanskrit for the simple words Cup Sinha or in other words Sinha Cup, and they noted that in order to give the tournament a truly local flavour they had settled on the Sanskrit words.
For decades, LSR has played a pivotal role in the planning, coordination and successful execution of major sporting events in Sri Lanka.
Its portfolio includes the LSR Colombo Marathon, attracting thousands of local and international runners annually, the Sri Lanka T-Cup Coast-to-Coast Road Cycling event, Rumble in the Jungle Mountain Bike Championship, and multiple international and domestic surfing events held across Sri Lanka’s coastal belt.
All events have been managed to international standards with a strong emphasis on professionalism, safety, and positive stakeholder collaboration.
Aligned with its long-term strategy of promoting Sri Lanka as a competitive and attractive sports tourism destination, LSR continues to drive initiatives that contribute to youth development, cultural exchange, and economic impact.
The organisation actively works to bring international athletes and supporters to Sri Lanka while strengthening the country’s positioning within the global sports ecosystem.
As part of its 2026 sports calendar, LSR is set to host Copa Simha – U12 Boys Football Tournament, designed to provide young athletes with valuable international exposure, competitive match play, and opportunities for cross-cultural engagement.
Source: LankaTalks (the article credits The Morning)
Article Link: https://www.lankatalks.com/post/lsr-announces–copa-simha–april-2026
