THE Philippines is set to host for the first time the Asia and Oceania Sambo Championships on June 23-28, 2026 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Malate, Manila.
Sanctioned by the International Sambo Federation (FIAS) and the Sambo Union of Asia and Oceania (SUAO) and backed by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), the championships will gather elite sambo athletes from 29 countries, including Australia and New Zealand, to battle for 72 gold medals at stake in the youth, junior and adult divisions.
“Sambo is a sport that needs exposure in the Philippines. Although it’s not an Olympic sport, it is included in the World Games and Asian Games, and we hope grassroots development will allow it to flourish,’’ said PSC chairman Patrick Gregorio, emphasizing the sport’s growth potential.
The event, Gregorio said, positions the country as a premier destination for international combat sports.
Pilipinas Sambo Federation Inc. (PSFI) president Paolo Tancontian, meanwhile, thanked Gregorio and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Bambol Tolentino for the support.
“In our 10 years as an association, we have produced a world No. 1 and Asian champion in Sydney Tancontian, and we hope she inspires young athletes as we host this championship,” said Tancontian.
The sambo event will be staged under the auspices of the National Sport Tourism–Inter Agency Committee, chaired by Gregorio, whose leadership reinforces the event’s stature in the country’s international sports calendar.
It is expected to draw over 500 delegates, boosting Manila’s profile as a sports tourism hub and showcasing the city’s historic landmarks and vibrant culture.
It will showcase the two core disciplines of sambo such as sport sambo, which emphasizes throws, submissions and ground control, and combat sambo, a high-intensity hybrid that integrates strikes, kicks and grappling techniques.
Athletes from powerhouse nations such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia and South Korea, along with Oceania’s finest competitors, are set to converge in Manila to vie for continental supremacy.
“We are proud to host this tournament. If not for Pilipinas Sambo and the PSC, sambo will not have this big event, so we thank them for being aggressive in organizing and hosting international events like this one,” said Tolentino.
