Sri Lanka-Korea rugby match cancelled after visa issues

Asia Rugby regrets to announce that the final scheduled fixture of the Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship 2026 between Korea and Sri Lanka, due to be played at Namdong Asiad Rugby Stadium in Incheon on Saturday, 13 June 2026, has been cancelled.

The decision follows confirmation that the Sri Lanka national team was unable to obtain the necessary travel visas required to enter Korea in time for the match.

Asia Rugby, together with Sri Lanka Rugby and Korea Rugby Union, explored a range of possible solutions to facilitate the fixture. However, despite the collective efforts of all parties, the visa process could not be completed within the required timeframe.

Following an assessment of the international rugby calendar, travel requirements, venue availability, and team commitments, Asia Rugby has determined that there is currently no suitable window available to reschedule the fixture within the 2026 competition cycle.

The Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship 2026 featured two highly competitive matches, including Hong Kong China’s dramatic 15-14 victory over Sri Lanka in Colombo and a 45-9 victory over Korea in Hong Kong China. With those results, Hong Kong China secured their seventh consecutive Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship title.In accordance with the Competition Regulations, Korea will be awarded four competition points, and the match result will be recorded as a 20–0 victory for Korea. The official competition standings will be updated and published on the Asia Rugby website.

Asia Rugby will communicate any further competition-related decisions, if required, in accordance with the applicable competition regulations through its official channels. Member Unions, teams, and stakeholders should rely on information published on the official Asia Rugby website and direct correspondence from Asia Rugby.

Asia Rugby thanks sponsors, participating unions, match officials, broadcasters, media partners, hosts, and supporters for their continued support and understanding throughout the competition.

-Asia Rugby