Blacktown’s Spartan Sporting Complex set to play host to multicultural Sanatan World Cup

Blacktown is set to play host to a sporting showcase this week as the Sanatan World Cup rolls into town. Hear from their vice president on why this festival of multiculturalism is not to be missed.

New Zealand All Stars took out last year's Sanatan Cup.

The largest ever Sanatan World Cup is set to take Sydney by storm this week featuring an unprecedented number of teams and a unique blend of sports and culture.

The 10th edition of this biennial event will bring together 58 football teams from five nations, smashing previous participation records. But football is just the beginning of this four-day spectacle.

Subhas Sharma, vice president of the Sanatan World Cup board and organising chairman for the 2024 event, revealed the scale of the tournament.

“We’ve seen 30, maybe 40 teams (maximum),” he said.

“This time it’s 58 football teams (as well as) netball, volleyball, a variety of tournaments.”

The football competition will be divided into several age categories. In total, around 2 and a half thousand athletes will travel to Sydney to compete in the different sports.

Scheduled for September 26-29 at the Blacktown Spartan Sporting Complex, the event will also showcase golf and billiards competitions.

The tournament will see teams from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, USA, and Canada compete across various age categories.

The Sanatan World Cup was first held in 2004 and aims to bring together people of Fiji heritage and those practising Sanatana Dharma, a branch of Hinduism, from around the world.

“In 2004, a group of individuals got together and decided to (create a) world cup because Fiji heritage people are scattered throughout the world,” Sharma explained.

“They’re in the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Fiji. So that’s where five nations combined and created a world cup board.”

The meticulously planned event will feature an opening ceremony on Saturday, September 28 where delegates and chief guests from different countries will arrive at the venue.

Alongside the sporting events, organisers have planned a cultural festival.

“We’re trying to bring diversity in the cultural side of it,” Sharma said.

“We created the Bula Festival where all ethnicities can entertain themselves.”

The Bula Festival will run parallel to the sporting events, featuring cultural performances, Bollywood dances, food stalls, and family-friendly activities.

“Families can come over. We’ve got jumping castles and whatnot for the kids so that whole families are enjoying the festive season,” Sharma added.

The tournament schedule is packed, with matches beginning each morning and running late into the evening.

Organisers are expecting a large turnout for the event. Sharma extended an invitation to all Sydney residents.

“I welcome and invite all Sydneysiders to come out, enjoy this,” he said.

“There’ll be lots of foods and other stuff to give away as well.”

The Sanatan World Cup promises to be a landmark event, combining competitive sports with a vibrant cultural festival.

As the host of this year’s competitions, Sydney showcases its multiculturalism in its ability to unify the global Fijian community.

“In Sanatan, there is the cultural side with religion, and we also have the sporting side,” said Sharma, reflecting on the event’s significance.

“Sanatan sports has always been there in Fiji, since we were born.”