Goa To Host 5th Asia Cup Bridge Championship With 350 Players From 16 Nations

Goa is set to host the 5th Asia Cup Bridge Championship from June 21 to 27 , bringing together around 350 players from 16 countries across the Asia-Oceania region , officials said on Monday.

The prestigious continental event will be held under the aegis of the Bridge Federation of India, marking the second time Goa is hosting the championship after previously staging it in 2018 .

BFI President Prasad Keni said hosting the tournament again reflects India’s strong position in organising major international bridge events. BFI Secretary and Indian men’s team captain Debasish Ray confirmed participation from countries including Australia, China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Hong Kong China, Japan, Chinese Taipei, the Philippines, Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand , along with hosts India.

Ray noted that Pakistan had expressed interest in participating but did not submit its entry for the event.

The championship will feature team and pairs competitions across men’s, women’s, seniors and mixed categories , ensuring wide participation across all divisions. India will field both ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams in each category, highlighting the country’s strong depth in the sport.

India has an impressive record in the tournament, having won 20 medals across four previous editions , including 8 gold, 5 silver and 7 bronze medals .

The Indian squad includes experienced and decorated players such as Sumit Mukherjee, Rajeshwar Tiwari, Sayantan Kushari, Anil Padhye, Sukomal Das and Sagnik Roy , many of whom are Asian Games medallists .

In the women’s section, players like Monica Jajoo, Pooja Batra and Himani Khandelwal will represent India, while veteran bridge player Kiran Nadar will lead the country’s challenge in the mixed pairs category .

Officials said the championship will strengthen India’s position in international contract bridge and promote greater sporting ties across the Asia-Oceania region.