“A milestone for Faroese tennis”: Faroes fly at first World Champs
The 2026 Masters World Team Championships (40-45) in Lisbon and Oeiras, Portugal, marked a historic milestone as the Faroe Islands made their debut at the event. The Faroes entered three teams across the four competitions, becoming one of the smallest nations ever to compete at the World Team Championships.
Their participation represents a significant step forward for tennis in the Faroe Islands, whose national association officially joined World Tennis on 1 January 2026 after membership was approved at the October 2025 AGM.
The Faroese contingent has made their mark in the Portuguese capital. Entering teams in the Men's 40+, Men's 45+ and Women's 40+ events, they embraced the opportunity to compete against some of the world's strongest Masters players.
The Men's 40+ team produced a memorable victory against South Africa, claiming the deciding doubles 14-12 in the match tiebreak, ensuring the nation's first appearance would be marked with a win.
Interestingly, among the victorious Men’s 40+ team was Ingi Heinesen Hojsted, a former professional footballer who enjoyed spells with Arsenal and Birmingham City and earned six senior international caps for the Faroe Islands national football team.
For coach and team captain Adam Bilcher, the achievement was the culmination of years of work growing the game in the Faroe Islands: "It means more than we can put into words. For us, this isn't simply about competing in another international event but represents years of rebuilding Faroese tennis from the ground up."
The Faroe Islands have steadily increased their engagement in international tennis in recent years, including participation in World Tennis development activities and regional competitions. In April 2026, Faroe Islands competed for the first time in the 14-and-Under World Tennis/Tennis Europe Small State Championships held in Marsa, Malta.
The Faroe Islands' debut also demonstrates the growing global reach of Masters tennis, with new nations continuing to discover the benefits of international team competition for adult players.
For Bilcher, this year’s appearance at the World Team Championships was "only the beginning" for the Faroe Islands.
"We hope to keep competing for many years to come. There is a real hunger among Faroese players to continue representing their nation. International competitions like these are about much more than results, they create experiences, relationships, motivation and belief. Sometimes the biggest victory isn't on the scoreboard, it's returning home with new ideas, stronger relationships and an even greater desire to keep building."
With enthusiastic players and strong support from their national association, the 2026 Masters World Team Championships may prove only the beginning of an exciting journey for this nation.