Squash players from around the world marked World Squash Day on October 10 by taking part in a range of initiatives and celebrations, as a sign of the sport’s growing participation globally. That growth is poised for an even bigger boost when the sport makes its Olympic debut in 2028 in Los Angeles.
World Squash Day capped 10 days of celebration and promotion of the sport. This year’s event took place 25 years after its founding in 2001 by Alan Thatcher, who held a memorial with squash-playing friends to remember players who were killed in the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York. Since then, it has grown to become the world’s largest grassroots promotion of the sport, bringing together clubs, federations and players from around the world to mark an annual festival of squash.
It was relaunched and expanded with official management by World Squash last year, with the support of Thatcher and Squash Media and Marketing (the commercial, media, and marketing arm of the Professional Squash Association), and adopting the theme of “bring a friend on court” to introduce new faces to the sport.
Sponsored Content
Rally for Squash: Team All-Stars vs Team Superstars
Described as “the biggest squash match in the world,” players of all levels and clubs of all sizes came together for Rally for Squash, with every match played counting toward a single global scoreboard. Professional Squash Association players and squash legends also joined the challenge, allowing everyone to play for their team alongside some of the sport’s biggest names.
Rally28 — a global campaign to promote the sport by PSA, World Squash and the Squash United Foundation — played a key role during the event. Participants would use the tag Rally28 on social media to spread the word about their involvement, while clubs had the option to make a $28 team contribution when registering. To raise funds, awareness and participation for the sport, as well as support facilities and World Squash’s Squash for Development program, 50 percent of the $28 fee would stay with the club, while the other 50 percent would aid Rally28’s global grants.
By taking part, players and clubs could unlock various rewards, such as SQUASHTV discount codes, exclusive Rally28 prizes, access to regional and global competitions, signed memorabilia and PSA experiences.
The Rally28 initiative (Credit: World Squash/PSA Squash Tour/Squash United Foundation/Rally28)
“The 2026 edition of World Squash Day is gearing up to be the biggest one-day celebration of squash ever,” said World Squash Day Director Robert Pacey in the buildup to the event. “We’re honored to have the support of World Squash and look forward to teaming up with the PSA, Squash United Foundation, and Rally28 to get the whole world together to Rally for Squash!”
“World Squash Day is the perfect celebration of the squash community and that’s exactly what Rally28 is all about,” said Head of the Squash United Foundation Adriana Olaya. “This year, it will be the first worldwide celebration of Rally28, uniting clubs, players, fans and Ralliers ahead of LA28. We have something special planned that will give everyone, everywhere, the chance to take part — trust me, you’ll want to be on a team.”
Race to LA28
It was announced that the Squash Final Qualifier, delivered by YSK Events, will take place in Seattle, Washington and Bellevue, Washington, in June 2028, ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic Games that summer.
An all-glass court in Seattle will stage the Squash Final Qualifier from June 6-10, 2028, with the PRO Club in Washington State also hosting some early-round matches.
There will be a 24-player draw in both the men’s and women’s competitions, with the winners in each draw becoming the final squash athletes to qualify for LA28. The remaining 15 players in each draw at LA28 will have already qualified via the Continental Games, PSA World Rankings and the Universality Places.
Despite not making its Olympic bow until 2028, squash was featured in the Commonwealth Games for 24 years, beginning at the 1998 Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and appearing at every edition through Birmingham, England, in 2022. However, it was not part of the 2026 program in Glasgow, Scotland, as the latest edition was condensed to a 10-sport program due to cost reductions and the short notice of switching host cities (Victoria in Australia withdrew in 2022 due to rising cost estimates).
A women’s singles squash game at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
“We’re delighted to be heading to Seattle and Bellevue for the Squash Final Qualifier,” said World Squash President Zena Woodbridge. “Squash is going from strength to strength in the United States and locating this unique event in squash’s history on the west coast ahead of our Olympic debut in Los Angeles is the perfect opportunity to accelerate the excitement leading into the Olympic squash program at the Comcast Squash Center at Universal Studios just a few weeks later.”
“History will be made over the next two years as the world’s top players battle to become the first squash Olympians,” said US Squash CEO Mollie Marcoux Samaan. “From the first qualifying Continental Games in Asia this fall to Seattle and Bellevue in 2028, the excitement will be palpable. We are thrilled that the Seattle squash community will build on its passionate legacy of showcasing the professional game and we are confident they will provide the stage and celebration worthy of this momentous occasion.”
Further information about the Squash Final Qualifier will be announced in due course.
World Squash Academy
Meanwhile, World Squash has launched the World Squash Academy, a new global learning platform established to support the people and organizations that deliver squash worldwide. The Academy is set to become the new home for World Squash coach education, certification, professional development and licensing, while providing the foundation for future learning opportunities across the wider squash community.
Furthermore, the Academy aligns with World Squash’s commitment to invest in people and organizations across the sport, and its strategy to share knowledge and expand access to development opportunities for member nations, clubs, and individuals around the world.
It has been developed as a long-term initiative to strengthen the teams that drive the sport at every level, from grassroots participation to elite performance.
World Squash is enhancing its educational initiatives (Credit: World Squash)
“The World Squash Academy is a strategic investment in the people who shape our sport every day,” said World Squash CEO William Louis-Marie. “Delivering the ambitions of the World Squash Strategy depends on developing the coaches, volunteers, officials, administrators and leaders who create great experiences and opportunities within squash.
As the new home for World Squash coach education, the Academy will provide access to qualifications, certification history, course registrations, webinars, professional development opportunities, educational resources and coach licensing through a single platform. It aims to create a more connected and streamlined experience for coaches, while making it easier to manage and progress their development journey.
Future phases of the Academy will grow learning opportunities to a larger range of roles across the sport, helping World Squash and member nations deliver high-quality development pathways and resources worldwide.
