Teen Non-Native English Speaker Wins World Youth Scrabble Title

Dineth Fernando, 13, won the 2026 World Youth Scrabble Championship in Nairobi on August 9, finishing 18–6 over 24 rounds against more than 130 players from 15 countries. His family moved from Sri Lanka to Melbourne in February 2026. Fernando's first language is not English. He is the third Australian representative to claim the youth title.