News

Overseas Football Players who are eligible to Represent Sri Lanka

Published

5 years ago

November 26, 2020

Editor

There are currently numerous players with strong Sri Lankan roots who play football in Overseas Leagues. Football Sri Lanka has kept a close eye on all these players, tracking their progress and skill levels to see which players can bring a positive impact to the Sri Lankan National Team

The following five players have already applied for dual citizenship and started the necessary processes of making it into the National squad, while the rest are yet to start any such procedures;

Players who are already applied for the Dual Citizenship to represent the National Team

Hamilton O Mervyn

Age : 32 yrs. (DOB: 8 Oct 1988)

Height : 6’

Citizenship : British

Position : Midfield

Current club : Whitehawk FC

League : Whitehawk FC is a Semi Professional, non-league English football club based in Whitehawk, a suburb of the city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. Whitehawk FC play in the Isthmian South East Division (English non-league step 4 – Level 8)

Category : Sri Lankan Mother

2. Reef Sebastian Peries

Age : 19 yrs (DOB: 30 Oct. 2001)

Height : 5’ 11”

Citizenship : British

Position : Right Wing Back

Current club : Woking FC (Academy Team)

League : Woking Football Club is a semi-professional association football club, based in Woking, Surrey, England. Founded in 1889, the club plays its home matches at Kingfield Stadium and is nicknamed the Cardinals. Currently, they compete in the National League, the fifth tier of English football.

Category : Sri Lankan Grandparent

3. Ryan Anthony Peries

Age :18 yrs (DOB: 20 Jul 2002)

Height : 6’ 2”

Citizenship : British

Position : Midfield

Current club : Bournemouth University FC

Category : Sri Lankan Grandparent

4. Haneef Mohamed Haseef Mohamed

Age : 27 yrs (DOB: 23 Aug 1993)

Height : 5’ 6”

Citizenship : Switzerland

Position : Left / Right Winger, Attacking Midfielder

Current club : FC Engstringen

League : FC Engstringen plays in the Football Association of the Zurich Region FVRZ 3rd League of Swiss Football Association.

Category : Sri Lankan Father & Mother

5. Vigneswaran Dagsan

Age : 16 yrs (DOB: 02 May 2004)

Height : 6’

Citizenship : Switzerland

Position : Center Back / Midfielder

Current club : Lausanne Sport

League : FC Engstringen plays in the Football Association of the Zurich Region FVRZ 3rd League of Swiss Football Association.

Category : Sri Lankan Father & Mother

Players who are eligible to apply for the Dual Citizenship to represent the National Team

Claudio Matthias

Age : 21 yrs (DOB: 7 July 1999)

Height : 6’ 1”

Citizenship : Deutsch (German)

Position : Center Back, Left Back, Right Back

Current club : SC Freiburg

League : Sport-Club Freiburg e.V., commonly known as SC Freiburg, is a German football club, based in the city of Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg. It plays in the Bundesliga. SC Freiburg II is the reserve team of German association football club SC Freiburg plays in the Regionalliga Südwest (English: Regional League Southwest) is the fourth tier of the German football league system in the states of Hesse, Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland. It is one of five leagues at this level, together with the Regionalliga Bayern, Regionalliga Nordost, Regionalliga Nord, and the Regionalliga West.

Category : Sri Lankan Mother

2. Canistan Regize

Age : 23 yrs (DOB: 25 Mar 1997)

Height : 5’ 7”

Citizenship : French

Position : Midfielder

Current club : FC Montceau, Boergogne

League : Football Club Montceau Bourgogne is a French association football team founded in 1948. They are based in Montceau-les-Mines, Bourgogne, France and are currently playing in the Championnat National 3. The league serves as the fifth division of the French Football League.

Category : Sri Lankan Father & Mother

3. Kelly Garrett Christopher

Age : 24 yrs (DOB: 13 Apr 1996)

Height : 6’ 1”

Citizenship : British

Position : Central Midfield

Current club : Almyros Gaziou FC (Greece)

League : Almyros Gaziou FC plays in the Gamma Ethniki the fourth highest football league in Greece.

Category : Sri Lankan Mother

4. Manimeldura Leon Perera

Age : 23 yrs (DOB: 1 Jan 1997)

Height : 5’ 8”

Citizenship : Deutsch (German)

Position : Central Midfield

Current club : MTV Treubund Lüneburg

League : MTV Treubund Lüneburg competes in the Landesliga Lüneburg, called the Bezirksoberliga Lüneburg from 1979 to 1994 and 2006 to 2010, is the sixth tier of the German football league system and the second-highest league in the German state of Lower Saxony.

Category : Sri Lankan Father

5. Tiffan Anthonypillai

Age : 18 yrs. (DOB: 21 Sep 2002)

Height : 5’ 7”

Citizenship : Canadian

Position : Right Back

Current club : Cs Saint-Laurent, Montréal,Canada

Category : Sri Lankan Mother

6. Chikereuba Tochokwu Francis

Age : 27 yrs (DOB: 24 Apr 1993)

Height : 6’ 3”

Citizenship : Nigerian

Position : Central Defender

Current club : Java Lane SC, Colombo

League : Champions League – Sri Lanka

Category : Sri Lankan Spouse & Children

7. Poopathithasan Nilooshan

Age : 19 yrs (DOB: 19 Jul 2001)

Height : TBC

Citizenship : Deutsch (German)

Position : TBC

Current club : TBC

Category : Sri Lankan Mother

Furthermore, Waseem Razeek and his brother Muzakir Razeek already eligible to represent the country.

Cricket

Dambulla Gears Up for Women’s ‘A’ Cricket Action in May 2026

Published

12 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Editor

Sri Lanka is set to host an exciting bilateral cricket series as the New Zealand Women’s A Team tours the island in May 2026. The series, featuring both One Day and T20 matches, will see the visitors compete against the Sri Lanka Women’s A Team in what promises to be a competitive showcase of emerging talent.

All matches will be held at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium (RDICS), with play scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. each day. The New Zealand side is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka on 7 May 2026, giving them several days to acclimatize before the series begins.
The tour will consist of three One Day matches followed by three T20 encounters. The One Day fixtures are scheduled for 12th, 15th, and 18th May, while the T20 series will take place on 21st, 23rd, and 25th May.

This series is seen as an important opportunity for both teams to develop their next generation of international players. With a mix of promising players and those on the cusp of senior national selection, the matches are expected to be closely contested.

Cricket

Bangladesh beat Chamari-less Sri Lanka despite late drama

Published

1 day ago

April 20, 2026

Editor

Bangladesh Women edged out Sri Lanka Women in a tense finish during the first ODI of the Sri Lanka Women’s tour of Bangladesh 2026, chasing down 206 with just nine balls to spare in a match that swung dramatically in the final overs.

Put into bat, Sri Lanka Team posted a competitive 205/9 from their 50 overs, built on steady contributions rather than a single dominant innings. Imesha Dulani (52 off 77) and Hansima Karunaratne (54 off 71) anchored the innings with a crucial middle-order stand after early setbacks. Captain Hasini Perera made a brisk 27, but Sri Lanka struggled to accelerate in the final 10 overs, losing wickets at regular intervals.

Bangladesh’s bowling attack kept things tight throughout. Ritu Moni was the standout performer, claiming 3 for 36 and breaking key partnerships, while Nahida Akter and Marufa Akter maintained pressure with disciplined spells.

In reply, Bangladesh got off to a disastrous start, losing two wickets within the first two overs. However, Sharmin Akhter produced a match-defining innings, scoring a composed 86 off 127 balls to anchor the chase. She found support from Sobhana Mostary, who made 41 before retiring hurt, and later Shorna Akter, whose 35 added momentum in the middle overs.

Despite being in control for much of the chase, Bangladesh nearly stumbled at the finish. A late burst from Sri Lanka’s bowlers saw Dewmi Vihanga pick up three crucial wickets, triggering a collapse that left Bangladesh at 200/7 after being comfortably placed at 199/3.
The match briefly tilted back in Sri Lanka’s favor, but Bangladesh held their nerve. Extras proved decisive, with 21 wides significantly easing the chase. Eventually, Bangladesh crossed the target in 48.3 overs, sealing a hard-fought three-wicket victory.

Sri Lanka will rue their inability to capitalize on key moments, particularly in the death overs with both bat and ball. The absence of star player Chamari Athapaththu was evident, as they lacked the firepower to push their total beyond reach.

News

Sri Lanka Announce Strong Squad for U85kg Battle vs New Zealand

Published

2 days ago

April 20, 2026

Editor

Sri Lanka has reportedly finalized its squad for the upcoming U85kg rugby encounter against New Zealand, marking an exciting chapter for the nation’s emerging rugby talent. The squad, highlights a balanced mix of experienced performers and promising young players ready to represent the country on an international stage.

Leading the side is Lasindhu Karunathilake, who has been entrusted with captaincy duties. Known for his leadership and consistency, Karunathilake will play a crucial role in guiding the team through what is expected to be a highly competitive contest. The squad also features key names such as Deshan Vimukthi, Pulasthi Dassanayake, Hansitha De Silva, and Thilina Bandara, all of whom have shown strong form in recent domestic competitions.

The inclusion of players like Naveen Marasinghe, Tharindhu Chathuranga, and Lahiru Thilakarathne adds depth and versatility, while emerging talents such as Thenuka Nanayakkara, Janidu Dilshan, and Yuwan Pathirana will be eager to make their mark. The squad also welcomes Oliver Buckle, adding an interesting dimension to the lineup.

However, the team will have to cope with a few setbacks, as Gayantha Iddamalgoda, Shamika Kawshan, and Omalka Gunarathne have been listed as unavailable due to injuries. Their absence opens opportunities for others like Venura Kodhagoda, Charith Silva, and Daham Hemachandra to step up.

With strong preparation and a determined squad, Sri Lanka will look to put up a spirited performance against New Zealand in this U85kg clash.

Squad:

Deshan Vimukthi, Pulasthi Dassanayake, Hansitha De Silva, Thilina Bandara, Naveen Marasinghe, Tharindhu Chathuranga, Lahiru Thilakarathne, Lasindhu Karunathilake (C), Harsha Maduranga, Murshid Zubair, Diluksha Dange, Akash Madushanka, Thenuka Nanayakkara, Janidu Dilshan, Yuwan Pathirana, Gayantha Iddamalgoda (injury), Shamika Kawshan (injury), Venura Kodhagoda, Charith Silva, Nisal Silva, Omalka Gunarathne (injury), Daham Hemachandra, Vidhuna Amaneth, Manilka Ruberu, Jayathu Rajaratne, Oliver Buckle.