MANILA — The Philippines has officially been awarded the hosting rights for the Astaf U-19 Asian Sepaktakraw Championship 2026, following the signing of a Letter of Agreement between the Asian Sepak Takraw Federation (Astaf) and the Philippines Sepaktakraw Association Inc (Pastai).
After formal meetings in Thailand on December 17, 2025, officials finalized the agreement on December 18, 2025, granting Pastai the mandate to organize and stage the continental youth championship scheduled for November 2026.
Under the agreement, Astaf officially authorizes Pastai to host the tournament in full compliance with the Istaf 2023–2025 Tournament Hosting Requirements, including adherence to international technical standards, competition formats, and governance protocols.
The International Technical Officials (ITOs) and match officials appointed by the International Sepaktakraw Federation (Istaf) will officiate the matches.
The Letter of Agreement also outlines the host association’s responsibilities covering local event delivery, venue preparation, logistics, security, athlete services, media facilities, transportation, accommodation, tournament promotion, and technical operations, as detailed in the official annexes accompanying the agreement.
Marketing, commercial, and broadcasting rights for the championship remain vested with Istaf, reinforcing the event’s international positioning and ensuring global visibility for one of Asia’s premier youth Sepaktakraw competitions.
The hosting of the Astaf U-19 Asian Sepaktakraw Championship 2026 marks a significant milestone for Philippine Sepaktakraw, strengthening the country’s role in regional sports development and youth
high-performance pathways.
The championship will bring together Asia’s top under-19 athletes, officials, and stakeholders, while boosting sports tourism, strengthening regional cooperation, and supporting grassroots-to-elite athlete development in the Philippines.
The event further reflects Astaf’s confidence in Pastai’s organizational capacity and the Philippines’ readiness to deliver a world-class international sporting event aligned with global standards. PR