2026 in Sri Lanka
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The following lists notable events that will occur and take place during 2026 in Sri Lanka.
Incumbents
[edit]National
[edit]| President | Prime Minister | Speaker | Chief Justice | Opposition Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anura Kumara Dissanayake (Age 58) |
Harini Amarasuriya (Age 56) |
Jagath Wickramaratne (Age 58) |
Padman Surasena |
Sajith Premadasa (Age 59) |
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| National People's Power (since 23 September 2024) |
National People's Power (since 24 September 2024) |
National People's Power (since 17 December 2024) |
Independent (since 27 July 2025) |
Samagi Jana Balawegaya (since 3 January 2020) |
Provincial
[edit]Events
[edit]Events by month
[edit]January
[edit]- 2 January – Kasun Munasinghe, chairman of the Matugama Pradeshiya Sabha from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, is remanded on charges of obstructing the duties of the secretary of the local council.[1]
- 5 January – Johnston Fernando, a former cabinet minister and MP, along with his son, Jerome Kenneth Fernando, is arrested by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) and remanded on charges of alleged misuse of state property.[2]
- 6 January – Ray Jayawardhana is appointed as the next president of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), with effect from 1 July 2026.[3]
- 7 January
- General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army, arrives in Sri Lanka on a two-day official visit.[4]
- A Cessna 208 Caravan Amphibian aircraft operated by Cinnamon Air plunges into Lake Gregory in Nuwara Eliya while attempting to land at the nearby Lake Gregory Waterdrome, injuring the two pilots.[5][6]
- President Donald Trump orders the withdrawal of United States from 66 international organisations including the Colombo Plan Council.[7][8]
- 9 January – The Ministry of Environment instructs the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) to halt all construction activities in the vicinity of the Ambuluwawa tower and the Ambuluwawa mountain region.[9]
- 12 January – Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, arrives in Sri Lanka on a stopover.[10]
- 13 January – The government officially inaugurates the Rebuilding Sri Lanka national programme, which has been established to efficiently coordinate the country's reconstruction efforts following Cyclone Ditwah.[11]
- 17 January – A purple star sapphire named Star of Pure Land, weighing 3,563 carats (712.6 g; 25.14 oz), is unveiled in Sri Lanka and is claimed to be the world's largest documented specimen of its kind.[12]
- 19 January
- Darshana Samaraweera, deputy director general of languages, humanities and social sciences at the National Institute of Education (NIE), which falls under the purview of the Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, and two other officials are placed on compulsory leave pending an inquiry into the controversial inclusion of a URL linking to an adult gay chat website in the newly introduced grade six English module.[13] Previously, Manjula Vithanapathirana, director general of the NIE, temporarily stepped down from her position in connection with the same incident.[14][15]
- Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders of India acquires 164,916,229 ordinary shares in Colombo Dockyard for Rs. 6.6 billion, approximately US$21.3 million, representing a 41.73% stake in the company.[16]
- 21 January – Ceylon Biscuits Limited (CBL) announces the acquisition of PT Tri Jaya Tangguh Indonesia (TJT), a coconut processing facility, with an investment exceeding US$25 million.[17]
- 23 January – Chaminda Kularatne, deputy secretary general of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, is suspended pending an inquiry into alleged irregularities related to his appointment.[18]
- 25 January – The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, announces an investment programme of US$166 million to support local businesses and stabilise the Sri Lankan economy.[19]
- 26 January – Ambeon Holdings, through its subsidiary Ambeon Essentials, enters into a sale and purchase agreement (SPA) to acquire a 51.11% controlling stake in Harischandra Mills through the purchase of 918,118 shares.[20]
- 28 January
- Tamim Rahman, the former owner of the Dambulla Thunders franchise, pleads guilty to match-fixing charges during the 2024 Lanka Premier League and is sentenced to a four-year prison term, suspended for five years, along with a fine of Rs. 24 million, approximately US$78,155, by the Colombo High Court.[21]
- Saman Ekanayake, the former secretary to the president, is remanded until 11 February 2026 by the Colombo Magistrate's Court over charges of alleged misuse of public funds during the tenure of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.[22]
February
[edit]- 4 February – Acharya Devvrat, the Governor of Gujarat, and Harsh Sanghavi, the deputy chief minister of Gujarat, arrives in Sri Lanka accompanying the Devni Mori relics of The Buddha. The exposition of the relics will be held at Gangaramaya Temple from 4 to 11 February.[23][24]
- 5 February – Samudika Jayaratne is appointed as the 42nd Auditor General of Sri Lanka, becoming the first woman to hold the post.[25]
- 7 February – The 2026 Men's T20 World Cup, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, commences with Pakistan playing the Netherlands at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground (SSC) in Colombo.[26][27]
Predicted and scheduled events
[edit]- 22 February – Ironman 70.3 Colombo triathlon.[28]
- 18–21 June – Sri Lanka Expo 2026 will be held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo.[29]
- June–July – The 2026 SAFF Championship will be hosted in Sri Lanka.[30]
- 8 July – 8 August – 6th Lanka Premier League[31]
- 7–11 October – Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Sri Lanka 2026 will be held at the City of Dreams Sri Lanka, Colombo.[32]
Holidays
[edit]- 2 January – Duruthu Full Moon Poya Day
- 14 January – Thai Pongal
- 1 February – Navam Full Moon Poya Day
- 4 February – Independence Day
- 15 February – Maha Shivaratri Day
- 3 March – Medin Full Moon Poya Day
- 21 March – Eid al-Fitr
- 1 April – Bak Full Moon Poya Day
- 3 April – Good Friday
- 13 April – Day prior to Sinhalese and Tamil New Year Day
- 14 April – Sinhalese and Tamil New Year Day
- 1 May – May Day and Full Moon Poya Day[35]
- 27 May – Id Ul-Alha
- 30 May – Vesak Full Moon Poya Day[35]
- 31 May – Day following Vesak Full Moon Poya Day
- 29 June – Poson Full Moon Poya Day
- 29 July – Esala Full Moon Poya Day
- 25 August – Milad un-Nabi
- 27 August – Nikini Full Moon Poya Day
- 26 September – Binara Full Moon Poya Day
- 25 October – Vap Full Moon Poya Day
- 8 November – Deepavali
- 24 November – Il Full Moon Poya Day
- 23 December – Unduvap Full Moon Poya Day
- 25 December – Christmas Day
Deaths
[edit]January
[edit]- 4 January – Chandrasena Thalangama, 81, journalist and lyricist[36]
- 6 January – Nihal Seneviratne, 91, civil servant, secretay general of the Parliament of Sri Lanka (1981–1994)[37]
- 10 January – Darshana Handungoda, 55, political journalist and YouTuber[38]
- 13 January – Iqbal Athas, 81, journalist[39]
- 15 January – Raju Bandara, 65, singer and musician[40]
- 18 January – Nandana Gunathilake, 63, politician, MP (2000–2010)[41]
- 28 January – Koyan Chamitha, 28, naval officer, first Sri Lankan to successfully complete the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training conducted by the United States Navy (USN)[42]
- 29 January – Sena Samarasinghe, 89, film director[43]
February
[edit]- 1 February – Bandula Harishchandra, 86, artist[44]
References
[edit]- ^ "Matugama PS Chairman remanded". Ada Derana. 2 January 2026. Archived from the original on 3 January 2026. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
- ^ "Former Minister Johnston Fernando and his youngest son remanded". Ada Derana. 5 January 2026. Archived from the original on 6 January 2026. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
- ^ Kaleem, Jaweed; Kwok, Iris (6 January 2026). "Caltech names new president, an astrophysicist who vows to empower 'brilliant minds'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 7 January 2026. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
- ^ "Indian Army Chief arrives in Sri Lanka". Ada Derana. 7 January 2026. Archived from the original on 7 January 2026. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ^ "Seaplane plunges into Gregory Lake in Nuwara Eliya". Ada Derana. 7 January 2026. Archived from the original on 7 January 2026. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ^ "Seaplane crash in Nuwara Eliya: Statement from CAASL". Newswire. 7 January 2026. Archived from the original on 7 January 2026. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ^ Lee, Matthew; Amiri, Farnoush (8 January 2026). "US will exit 66 international organizations as it further retreats from global cooperation". AP News. Archived from the original on 8 January 2026. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
- ^ "Withdrawing the United States from International Organizations, Conventions, and Treaties that Are Contrary to the Interests of the United States". The White House. 7 January 2026. Archived from the original on 8 January 2026. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
- ^ "CEA directed to halt all construction activities in Ambuluwawa". Ada Derana. 9 January 2026. Archived from the original on 10 January 2026. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
- ^ "China's Foreign Minister arrives in Sri Lanka on transit visit". Ada Derana. 12 January 2026. Archived from the original on 12 January 2026. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
- ^ "Govt. will not reverse its programs despite any disaster – President". Ada Derana. 13 January 2026. Archived from the original on 13 January 2026. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
- ^ Mallawarachi, Bharatha (17 January 2026). "Sri Lanka unveils a rare purple star sapphire claimed to be the biggest of its kind". The Independent. Archived from the original on 17 January 2026. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ "NIE Deputy Director General sent on compulsory leave". Ada Derana. 19 January 2026. Archived from the original on 20 January 2026. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
- ^ "NIE Director General temporarily steps down pending inquiry into 'Grade 6 module' controversy". Ada Derana. 1 January 2026. Archived from the original on 8 January 2026. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
- ^ "Sri Lanka launches investigation over English syllabus' gay website link". The Hindu. 2 January 2026. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 13 January 2026. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
- ^ "Mazagon Dock acquires 41.73% stake in Colombo Dockyard for Rs. 6.6 b via Rights allotment". Daily FT. 21 January 2026. Archived from the original on 21 January 2026. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ^ "CBL Group announces strategic acquisition of Indonesian coconut company". Daily FT. 22 January 2026. Archived from the original on 22 January 2026. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
- ^ "Parliamentary Deputy Secretary General suspended". Sri Lanka Mirror. 24 January 2026. Archived from the original on 24 January 2026. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ^ "IFC announces investment program worth US$ 166 million to support Sri Lankan businesses". Ada Derana. 25 January 2025. Archived from the original on 25 January 2026. Retrieved 25 January 2026.
- ^ "Ambeon Group makes voluntary takeover bid for Harischandra Mills". Daily FT. 27 January 2026. Archived from the original on 27 January 2026. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
- ^ "Dambulla Thunders' ex-owner gets suspended sentence for LPL match-fixing, fined Rs. 24M". Ada Derana. 28 January 2026. Archived from the original on 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
- ^ "Former Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake remanded". Ada Derana. 28 January 2026. Archived from the original on 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
- ^ "Cultural diplomacy: India to send Devnimori relics of Lord Buddha to Sri Lanka for exposition". The Indian Express. 3 February 2026. Archived from the original on 4 February 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
- ^ "Holy Devnimori Relics Arrive in Colombo Ahead of 24-Hour Public Exposition". Newsfirst. 4 February 2026. Archived from the original on 4 February 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
- ^ "Samudika Jayaratne assumes duties as Sri Lanka's first female Auditor General". Ada Derana. 5 February 2026. Archived from the original on 5 February 2026. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
- ^ "ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Groups, Schedule, Venues, Time and more". The Hindu. 27 November 2025. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 29 November 2025. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
- ^ Abraham, Timothy (7 February 2026). "T20 World Cup: Pakistan survive Netherlands scare in opener". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 7 February 2026. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
- ^ "IRONMAN 70.3 returns to the shores of Colombo". Ironman. 21 August 2025. Archived from the original on 25 August 2025. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
- ^ "Sri Lanka Expo 2026 set to drive export-led growth". Daily FT. 10 January 2026. Archived from the original on 10 January 2026. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
- ^ "Sri Lanka eye SAFF 2026 after gritty Asian Cup campaign". The Sunday Times. 23 November 2025. Archived from the original on 30 December 2025. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
- ^ Cricket, Sri Lanka (1 December 2025). "Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to announce that the sixth edition of the Lanka Premier League willbe held from 8th July to 8th August 2026". Sri Lanka Cricket. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
- ^ "Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Sri Lanka 2026 in October". Daily FT. 28 January 2026. Archived from the original on 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
- ^ "Sri Lanka Public Holidays 2026". Public Holidays Global. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
- ^ "Holidays and Observances in Sri Lanka in 2026". Time and Date. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
- ^ a b c "State Vesak Festival to be held on May 30 - Minister". Ada Derana. 24 January 2026. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ^ "Veteran lyricist Chandrasena Thalangama passes away". Hiru News. 5 January 2026. Archived from the original on 5 January 2026. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
- ^ Gunawardana, Dasith (6 January 2026). "Obituary: Nihal Seneviratne". Royal College Union. Archived from the original on 7 January 2026. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ^ "Political vlogger Darshana Handungoda passed away". Newswire. 10 January 2026. Archived from the original on 10 January 2026. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
- ^ "Veteran Journalist Iqbal Athas passes away at 81". Daily Mirror. 13 January 2026. Archived from the original on 13 January 2026. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
- ^ "Veteran singer Raju Bandara passed away". News Wire. 15 January 2026. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
- ^ "Former Minister Nandana Gunathilake Passes Away". Newsfirst. Archived from the original on 18 January 2026. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ^ "Sri Lanka's First Navy Officer to Complete U.S. Navy SEAL Training, Passes Away". Newsfirst. 28 January 2026. Archived from the original on 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
- ^ "Veteran film director Sena Samarasinghe passes away". Ada Derana. 29 January 2026. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
- ^ "ප්රවීණ චිත්ර ශිල්පී බන්ධුල හරිශ්චන්ද්ර දිවි සැරිය නිම කරයි!". mirrorarts.lk (in Sinhala). 5 January 2026. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
