The World Squash Federation (WSF) has announced that Squash Australia (SqA) will host the next edition of the 2026 WSF World Masters Championships.

The 2026 championships will be the sixth time Australia has hosted the World Masters, having hosted the men’s event in 1979, women’s events in 1982 and 1990, and combined events in 1995 and 2001, said a press release.

The World Masters is a biennial competition that sees squash players aged 35+ competing in age categories for the title of world champion.

This year’s championships, which took place in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, saw a record number of participants, with over 1,000 squash players heading to the Dutch capital.

Robert Donaghue, CEO Squash Australia said, “Australia is a nation steeped in squash history and while we hosted the World Masters five times between 1979 and 2001, it’s been more than two decades since Australia has hosted this event and we couldn’t be more excited.

“Sixty Australians participated in this year’s World Masters in Amsterdam and while Geoff Davenport and Sue Hillier once again came away with the titles they were chasing, every competitor thoroughly enjoyed the camaraderie of taking part in such an incredible festival of our sport.

“When 2026 rolls around we know we’ll see some fantastic action on the court, but we also hope everyone who heads down under gets to enjoy their stay. Many of those will have never been to Australia before, and what better way to experience it than combining the World Masters with the chance to enjoy and explore our great country.”

Ron Smith, President Australian Masters Squash Association said, “It’s going to be wonderful to welcome everyone to Australia for the World Masters in 2026.

“We are looking forward to working together with Squash Australia to deliver a memorable tournament. “

WSF President Zena Wooldridge said: “Having hosted a hugely successful World Juniors two years ago, there is no doubt that SqA will do a fantastic job again when they host the World Masters. After over 20 years away, I think it’s great news for the game that the World Masters is returning to Australia.” 

Renowned Pakistani martial artist Irfan Mehsood, has added another feather to his cap by breaking the Guinness World Record for the longest time in reverse plank position carrying a weight of 80 pounds.

Irfan surpassed India’s Manish Sharma’s record of 2 minutes and 6 seconds, achieving the feat in 2 minutes and 28 seconds. Irfan has established himself as a Guinness World Record holder in various categories, including Most pushups, Most jumping jacks, Most squats, Most fitness and martial arts records.

Irfan has broken records from 17 countries, including United States, Great Britain, China, Spain, Philippines, Norway and India etc.

Irfan has becomes the first Pakistani martial artist to achieve 100 Guinness World Records in an impressive span of 8 years. His current tally stands at 120 world records.

“I am proud to represent Pakistan on the global stage, and I will continue to push boundaries and inspire future generations,” Irfan told APP.

Irfan’s incredible achievements demonstrate his dedication, perseverance, and passion for martial arts, cementing his status as a world-class athlete. 

Caoimhin Kelleher will make his second Premier League start in goal under manager Arne Slot when Liverpool host Chelsea on Sunday, with first-choice keeper Alisson ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Kelleher, 25, came close to leaving in the close season in search of regular playing time after Liverpool signed Georgia international Giorgi Mamardashvili, who is set to join from Valencia in 2025.

Brazil’s Alisson missed international duty after suffering an injury during a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace earlier this month.

“Alisson is for sure not with us in the upcoming weeks. That’s a blow for him and for us,” Slot told reporters. “Now the good thing is Caoimhin did really well for us in previous years and it shows we have a good replacement.”

Liverpool have a difficult run of fixtures over the next month facing four of the league’s current top-six sides, and Slot said some of the players returned from international duty with knocks.

“(Alexis) Mac Allister missed one game, Kostas (Tsimikas) missed out in the first game against England. So I can name them all. We’ve got a few issues going on but let’s wait and see where we are after today,” he said.

Liverpool are on a six-match winning streak in all competitions including two Champions League wins, but Slot cautioned against judging the team on its early form.

“If you only judge your team after a week, that isn’t fair. So it is only fair for you to judge us after this spell of games,” he said.
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“The only ones who showed they can do Champions League and Premier League in last two seasons are Manchester City and Arsenal. Best way to judge us is in four weeks.”

Fourth-placed Chelsea are four points behind Liverpool with 14 points from seven matches.

“Chelsea, like Manchester United, have a lot of great individuals, which we have to try to control… looking forward to a very interesting game on Sunday,” Slot said.