SRI LANKA WITHDRAWN FROM NETBALL WORLD YOUTH CUP OVER VISA ISSUES

The Sri Lanka team has been officially withdrawn from the Netball World Youth Cup 2025 in Gibraltar after failing to secure visas in time for the tournament.

The team has been forced to forfeit all of its group stage matches, a result also faced by Zambia due to similar issues.

The players were required to obtain visas through the British High Commission as Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory.

The tournament, which features under-21 teams, is scheduled to run until September 28.


The official announcement from World Netball follows:

Due to unresolved matters surrounding the participation of Sri Lanka and Zambia in the Netball World Youth Cup 2025 (NWYC2025), World Netball (WN) has withdrawn both teams for the remainder of the competition.

The remaining scheduled stage one pool games of the competition, where Sri Lanka and Zambia were due to play, will be treated as forfeited fixtures and their opposition will be awarded with two (2) points for the win in line with competition regulations.

These matches are:

Gibraltar vs Zambia (Pool A) – forfeited by Zambia

Sri Lanka vs Jamaica (Pool C) – forfeited by Sri Lanka

Tonga vs Sri Lanka (Pool C) – forfeited by Sri Lanka

Malaysia vs Zambia (Pool A) – forfeited by Zambia

An updated NWYC2025 schedule will be shared in due course.

WN recognises the disappointment this outcome will bring to teams and fans and remains committed to supporting Sri Lanka and Zambia’s ongoing involvement in international netball.

WN will not make any further comment at this stage.