News
Overseas Football Players who are eligible to Represent Sri Lanka
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
Harbhajan Singh Criticizes Jayawardene and Malinga for Over-Involvement in MI Dugout During IPL Qualifier
In a surprising turn of events during IPL 2025 Qualifier 2, cricket legend and former Mumbai Indians player Harbhajan Singh has voiced concern over what he termed “excessive involvement” by Mahela Jayawardene and Lasith Malinga during Mumbai Indians’ defeat against Punjab Kings.
Speaking on his YouTube channel after MI’s seven-wicket loss at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Harbhajan took issue with the coaching staff’s frequent instructions from the dugout — especially during tense moments when MI bowlers were under pressure.
Too many signals, too much talking — even with someone like Jasprit Bumrah, who knows exactly what he’s doing,” Harbhajan remarked. “At times, you need a calm and collected environment, especially during high-pressure games. Coaches should guide, not command every move from the sidelines.
Punjab Kings chased down a formidable target of 204, with captain Shreyas Iyer anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 87 to secure a place in the final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Despite Mumbai posting a solid total, their bowlers failed to contain the opposition — a point that Harbhajan feels may have been worsened by the atmosphere in the MI dugout.
Jayawardene, MI’s Head of Global Performance, and Malinga, the bowling coach, were both seen actively engaging with players during the game, a move Harbhajan believes may have unintentionally undermined the confidence of seasoned campaigners like Bumrah.
I’ve been part of that setup. The coaching staff means well, but showing visible desperation can impact player morale,
Harbhajan added.
With this loss, Mumbai Indians miss out on a shot at their sixth IPL title, while discussions surrounding the balance between guidance and over-coaching during matches are sure to continue
Football
Fouzul Hameed Calls for Urgent Reforms in Sri Lankan Football: “Enough is Enough”
In a powerful and emotional statement, Fouzul Hameed — veteran football advocate, entrepreneur, and co-founder of the AC Milan Academy in Colombo — has delivered a scathing critique of Sri Lanka’s football administration, calling for immediate reforms to rescue the sport from what he describes as “chronic mismanagement and total collapse.
In a candid interview with Serendib News 🔗 Source, Hameed, who also captained Zahira College’s football team during his school days, expressed frustration over the decline of Sri Lankan football — both at grassroots and national levels.
“This is not personal—it’s a wake-up call. Especially at the school level, if we build a proper system, we might finally see decent results,”
Hameed emphasized.

“No Future in Football” – A Harsh Reality
Hameed admitted that he now encourages players to focus on their education instead of football due to the lack of career prospects in the sport. He lamented that football has become an elite pastime hijacked by individuals with no understanding or passion for the game.
There’s no future in it right now—no careers, no livelihood,” he said. “Talent doesn’t matter anymore. Football is now controlled by politics and greed.
School Football in Crisis
His strongest words were reserved for the school football system, which he described as being in complete disarray.
Our school system is a disaster. There’s no coaching, no nurturing of talent, and no proper calendar. Finals are played under harsh conditions, without basic facilities like medical support or crowd control.
Comparing football to the glamor of school rugby and cricket, Hameed pointed out how football is marginalized despite having deep roots and mass appeal.

Look at the attention rugby and cricket get. Meanwhile, school football finals happen in near silence. It’s disrespectful.
A Broken Federation
Hameed criticized the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) for its failure in leadership and planning.
The wrong people are running the game. They have no playing background, no vision, no strategy — they’re in it for the titles and benefits.
Highlighting Zahira College’s legacy of producing nearly 100 national players, he said that even his alma mater may withdraw from tournaments due to poor planning and conditions.
Give us one tournament and a proper venue — we’ll show you how it’s done.
Call to Clean House
Calling on the Ministry of Sports and the President of Sri Lanka, Hameed demanded a complete overhaul of the football governing body.
Football can unite this country, but it needs leaders with values and professionalism. We need people who genuinely care about the sport.
He referenced Sri Lanka’s recent humiliating 8-0 loss to India and the issue of national players wearing fake jerseys due to budgetary issues, calling it “a national disgrace.”
Final Word
This is not just a game — it’s identity, dignity, and hope. But it’s being destroyed by incompetence. Enough is enough.
Fouzul Hameed’s passionate appeal reflects a broader concern shared by players, fans, and former athletes alike — that Sri Lankan football is long overdue for reform, and that real change must begin with honest leadership and grassroots investment
Football
FFSL’s Suspension of Six Leagues Sparks Outrage Amid Governance Failures
Colombo – The Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) has suspended six regional football leagues, citing administrative and financial irregularities. However, this decision has triggered widespread criticism and raised serious questions about the federation’s own accountability and governance standards.
The suspended leagues are Embilipitiya, Hambantota, Jaffna, Kalkuda, Madhu Manthai West, and Point Pedro, with the FFSL alleging that they failed to submit annual reports, maintain financial accounts, or conduct football activities for over three years.
While FFSL claims these actions were taken to uphold its constitution, critics argue that FFSL itself has consistently failed to meet national governance standards, particularly those outlined in Sri Lanka’s Sports Act.
FFSL’s Own Compliance Under Fire
According to Section 32 of the Sports Act, national sports bodies like FFSL are legally required to submit their audited financial reports for the previous year on or before May 31st each year. However, the FFSL has reportedly failed to comply with this for multiple consecutive years — from 2022 to 2024 — placing it in clear violation of national law.
This failure gives the Ministry of Sports the legal authority to suspend FFSL’s registration, raising the possibility of a broader administrative intervention if reforms are not undertaken.
Lack of Support for Grassroots Development
Furthermore, FFSL’s lack of consistent funding and tournament organization for regional leagues has hampered football development:
- 2021: LKR 250,000 per league
- 2022: LKR 100,000
- 2023 & 2024: No funding
- 2025: Limited support to select leagues for a yet-to-be-played Y19 Youth League
Despite this, FFSL is now penalizing regional leagues for being inactive — an inactivity that many argue is the direct result of the federation’s own inaction and neglect.
Legal and Ethical Concerns
The suspension of Jaffna Football League, which is currently under judicial review, has also raised eyebrows. With a court case pending, legal experts question how FFSL can justify suspending a league under such circumstances without violating due process.
Hypocrisy in Action?
Despite citing “no financial reports” as a reason for suspension, FFSL has not published its own audited reports for three straight years. Observers call this an act of institutional hypocrisy, and many stakeholders are calling for the federation to hold itself to the same standards it demands of others.
If Sri Lanka is to progress in regional and international football, governance reform must begin at the top — starting with FFSL’s transparency, accountability, and genuine grassroots development efforts.

-
Live4 years ago
Live Broadcast of Syria vs Sri Lanka | AFC U23 Asian Championship Qualification
-
Football4 months ago
Sri Lanka Schools National Championship 2025: Super 8 Fixtures and Grouping
-
Cricket6 days ago
Nuwan Thushara Shines as RCB Storms into IPL 2025 Final
-
Football5 months ago
FFSL Rebrands Division-1 as ‘League-One’ with a Bold New Vision
-
News4 months ago
2025 Schools Rugby Season Set to Thrill Fans with Knockout and League Action
-
News4 years ago
We are Back
-
Football3 months ago
Sri Lanka Schools National Championship 2024: Super Eight Round Concludes – Semifinalists Confirmed!
-
Football5 months ago
Erling Haaland Signs Record-Breaking 9.5-Year Contract Extension with Manchester City