The Carrom Association of Maldives (CAM) has announced that the Maldives will host the Carrom World Cup from 2 to 6 December at Barceló Nasandhura; the country’s return to hosting the prestigious tournament since 2014.

The official launch took place on 1 September at Henveiru Boalhage, where Minister of Sports, Fitness and Recreation Abdulla Rafiu inaugurated the competition and unveiled its logo and poster.

The ceremony was attended by Sports Commissioner Mohamed Tholal, senior Ministry officials, representatives of CAM and members of the national carrom team.

In his remarks, Minister Rafiu underlined the importance of ensuring the Maldives achieves top results on the international stage, pointing to past successes by Maldivian athletes. He noted that hosting the Carrom World Cup reflects the nation’s ambition to demonstrate its capacity to stage major sporting events.

The Minister said the decision was also aligned with the Government’s strategy to expand sports tourism. He emphasised that the Administration is committed to developing the sector further and intends to build on recent progress.

Around 200 athletes from more than 20 countries are expected to take part in this year’s competition, according to Minister Rafiu. He described it as a proud moment for the Maldives to host the largest number of players in the history of the sport, and he expressed gratitude to President Dr Mohamed Muizzu for his support in making the event possible.

CAM President Ibrahim Rasheed said preparations are now in full swing, stressing that the tournament’s success and the hope of securing a gold medal for the national team would depend on the collaboration of all stakeholders.

General Secretary of CAM, Hussain Raushaan, said the Association aimed not only to bring athletes together but also to use the World Cup as a platform to promote sports tourism. He added that the event would allow visiting players to experience the natural beauty of the Maldives. Raushaan also highlighted the recent growth of the sport, noting that in the past 18 months several carrom academies had opened, with 300 to 400 juniors now training. Hosting the tournament, he said, would inspire these young athletes by giving them the chance to see senior players compete at the highest level.

Organised by the International Carrom Federation (ICF), the Carrom World Cup is regarded as one of the sport’s most prestigious competitions. This December will see its seventh edition. At the previous tournament, held in the United States last year, the Maldives secured bronze medals in both the men’s and women’s team events. The national team had earlier celebrated success at the Asian Carrom Championships, also hosted in the Maldives.