The Indian flag rose above the Glass Court as the national anthem echoed through a packed arena, bringing the 2026 FISU World University Championship Squash to an emotional close. Hong Kong (China) claimed the Team World Championship gold, while India’s Suraj Kumar Chand won the Men’s Singles gold and Spain’s Marta Domínguez Fernández successfully defended her Women’s Singles World Championship title.
The Team final delivered a dramatic finish, with India putting up a determined fight against Hong Kong (China). India won two of the four matches, but Hong Kong (China) secured the Team World Championship gold on game difference, winning eight games to India’s six. India finished with the Team World Championship silver, while Spain and France took the bronze medals.
For Team India, the result was a testament to the fight and resilience that defined its campaign. Every game mattered, every rally carried the weight of the occasion, and the Indian contingent continued to push until the very last point. While Hong Kong (China) took the gold, India walked away with the silver after a final that reflected the competitiveness, determination and spirit of university sport at the highest level.
The final also brought together athletes from across India who had competed as individuals during the week, now standing together as one team on the world stage.
India and Hungary’s Historic Men’s Singles
For India, the championship was headlined by a breakthrough performance from Somaiya Vidyavihar University student Suraj Kumar Chand.
Chand defeated Hungary’s Benedek Takács 5-11, 11-8, 11-5, 6-11, 11-4 in a thrilling five-game final to claim the Men’s Singles World Championship.
The victory gave India its first Men’s Singles gold at the FISU World University Championship Squash in 16 years. It was also a deeply significant moment for the host university, with Chand becoming World Champion on the very courts where he has trained for years.
For Chand, the journey from training on these courts to standing on the Glass Court as a World Champion brought the story of Mumbai 2026 full circle. His victory was not only a personal milestone, but a moment of immense pride for his university, his teammates and Indian university sport.
Hungary’s Benedek Takács claimed the silver, marking Hungary’s first Men’s Singles silver at the championship in 20 years. India’s Om Semwal and France’s Joshua Jacques-Phinera secured the bronze medals.
Spain Defends Women’s Singles Title
Spain’s Marta Domínguez Fernández delivered a stunning performance to successfully defend her Women’s Singles World Championship title, defeating Hong Kong (China)’s Ching Hei Fung in the final.
The victory carried special significance for Fernández as it came on her father’s birthday.
A Championship That Brought the World to Mumbai
Student-athletes from 14 nations competed over seven days at Somaiya Vidyavihar University’s Eklavya Sports Complex, transforming the campus into a global arena for university sport.
Somaiya Vidyavihar University hosted the championship in collaboration with the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) and with the support of the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI). The championship brought together athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers and spectators from across the world, creating a shared sporting experience on Indian soil.
Different Flags, One Championship
Inspired by the Raj Mudra of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mumbai 2026 medals celebrate excellence, vision and purpose. For Somaiya Vidyavihar University, bringing a FISU World University Championship to India represented a larger ambition: to deliver an international competition to the highest standards while creating opportunities for students to compete on the world stage.
At the heart of that ambition is a simple philosophy: learn from the best and be the best. Hosting athletes and officials from around the world gave the University an opportunity not only to showcase its capabilities, but also to learn from global standards of competition, athlete development and sporting excellence.
The championship also brought that ambition to life in a particularly meaningful way, with a Somaiya student-athlete becoming a World Champion on home soil.
Expressing his deep gratitude to FISU, AIU and everyone who worked to make the World University Championship for Squash at Somaiya Vidyavihar University possible, Chancellor Samir Somaiya said hosting the championship was the fulfilment of a long-held dream for the university. He recalled how his grandfather, inspired by the sporting facilities he saw during his graduation at Cornell University in 1992, dreamt of creating similar facilities in India. He spoke of how that dream has grown into a broader vision for the role of sport in education and in shaping young people.
He added, “Sport should be a part of our lives. It is important for our health, for education, for competition and for excellence. We want to make sport a part of the education curriculum and ensure that every student participates. Our dream is to take this opportunity to the grassroots and expose students, whether they are from urban India, rural India, forest communities, farming communities or tribal communities, to sport. We believe that the job of education is to build vocational excellence, to give a wider world view so that we understand that we live together on one shared planet, and to build character, because we have to become great citizens of India and of the world.”
The championship also drew strong appreciation from the international governing body.
Representing FISU, Martin Dalton, Executive Committee Senior Member, said, “This championship stands as one of the highlights on the 2026 FISU calendar. The commitment to collaboration, excellence and positivity has ensured that the event has exceeded the expectations of athletes, officials and spectators alike. To the volunteers and staff of the Somaiya Vidyavihar University community, you have been extraordinary. Your warmth, enthusiasm and generosity have enriched every moment of our time here. Your smiles have brightened our days, and your eagerness to share your culture has made this experience deeply meaningful for all of us. I am certain we will leave with lifelong memories and friendships that will endure beyond this event.”
Somaiya’s Commitment to Sport
Somaiya Vidyavihar University has invested consistently in sporting infrastructure, coaching and athlete development. The Eklavya Sports Complex has five World Squash Federation-certified courts, with a WSF-standard Glass Court specially constructed for the championship.
The facility has long served as a training ground for aspiring athletes. During Mumbai 2026, it welcomed the world and witnessed a Somaiya student become a World Champion — a powerful reflection of what sustained investment in sporting infrastructure and athlete development can make possible. The University’s sporting commitment goes beyond major championships. It continues to develop coaching and athlete pathways while creating an environment where students can pursue academic and sporting excellence. The University is also taking squash to rural schools, creating opportunities for young athletes to discover the sport and develop their potential. More than 120 student volunteers, faculty members and staff worked alongside the organising committee throughout the championship. They supported athlete services, competition operations, hospitality, logistics and media operations, helping deliver the event for participating delegations from around the world.
For Somaiya Vidyavihar University, the championship was therefore more than a seven-day sporting event. It was an opportunity to build capability, create exposure, learn from international standards and give students a platform to see what is possible when ambition is matched by opportunity.
Mumbai 2026 demonstrated what becomes possible when infrastructure, education, coaching and opportunity come together. It showed that India can host world-class university sport and that Indian universities can create platforms for athletes to compete at the highest level.
For Somaiya Vidyavihar University, the championship marks a significant milestone in its continuing pursuit of sporting excellence — and opens the door to many more international sporting achievements, championships and champions in the years ahead.
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