Gibraltar squad heads to Faroe Islands for Small States Championship

Gibraltar will be represented at the Small States of Europe Team Championship 2026 in the Faroe Islands, with the Gibraltar Badminton Association announcing a seven-player squad for the three-day competition.

The team will begin its journey today, Wednesday, arriving in the Faroe Islands on Thursday ahead of competition running from Friday to Sunday.

The squad comprises Kasper Thy Jessen, Chi Leong Sou, Josh Montado, Ramel Gonzales, Alison Jessen, Amber Prescott and Sevelanne Newsham. Charles Ian Avellano will travel as National Coach.

The championship brings together badminton teams from Europe's smaller states, providing an international platform for players to compete against one another.

The idea for the tournament was first proposed in 2017 by Malta, Cyprus and Monaco, recognising that badminton was not included in the Games of the Small States of Europe. Following delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the inaugural championship was eventually held in Malta in November 2023.

Gibraltar has participated since the inaugural edition, with the 2026 championship also welcoming Andorra and Luxembourg to the participating nations.

The Gibraltar Badminton Association described the tournament as an important opportunity for its players to represent Gibraltar internationally and test themselves against strong opposition, wishing the squad well ahead of the competition.