Dineth Fernando, a 14-year-old Melbourne-based teenager originally from Sri Lanka, has won the World Youth Scrabble Championship held in Nairobi in August 2026. Competing against 140 players worldwide, Fernando credited his victory to practicing 200 words daily from the official Scrabble dictionary.

Fernando, who has been in Australia since February 2026, said Scrabble helped him adjust to life in Australia and make friends, noting that English is his second language. He began playing Scrabble at age eight through school and participated in national championships in 2022 and 2024. Scrabble is notably popular in Sri Lanka, with competitive school tournaments.

Prior to the youth championship, Fernando played against Adam Logan, the 2025 World Scrabble Champion. His father, Prasanna Fernando, a former medical doctor in Sri Lanka, expressed pride in his son's achievement, especially considering the 25-hour flight to Nairobi amid tensions from the US-Iran conflict.

Scrabble advocates hope the game is recognized as a sport that promotes literacy and numeracy, encouraging educators to consider it as an extension activity for gifted and talented students. "There are school Scrabble clubs and it's extremely competitive," they noted.

Notable Quotes

  • "There are school Scrabble clubs and it's extremely competitive," said supporters of the game.
  • "I knew that he would one day win it, but it's still surreal," said a family member.
  • "We want other people to think of it as a sport, but a sport that addresses literacy and numeracy."
  • "We would like educators to consider Scrabble as an extension activity for [gifted and talented] kids. Number one, they're going to be good at it, and number two, they're going to like it."

Background

The Fernando family relocated to Australia in February 2026 due to Prasanna Fernando's study and work commitments. Dineth's success highlights the positive impact of competitive Scrabble on young players, especially those adapting to new cultural environments.

Sources: ABC Australia News

Sources