The Association of Tertiary Level Institutions (ATLIB) National Football Championships 2026 took place over two days, March 27th–28th, at Ambergris Stadium in San Pedro, featuring top tertiary-level teams from across Belize. The tournament included four men’s teams in a single-elimination format and three women’s teams in a round-robin competition. The University of Belize (UB) emerged as double champions, securing first place in both divisions.
Hosted by San Pedro Junior College (SPJC), the event drew teams from across the country despite initial weather delays. Day one opened with women’s matches, where UB defeated Independence Junior College (IJC) 5-0, while Centro Escolar Mexico Junior College (CEMJC) overcame IJC 2-0. In the men’s division, UB tied SPJC 1-1 before winning 3-2 on penalties, and CEMJC edged IJC 4-3. On day two, IJC secured third place in the men’s division with a 4-0 victory over SPJC. The women’s final saw UB defeat CEMJC 6-1, while the men’s final ended 1-0 in favor of UB over CEMJC, sealing UB’s championship titles in both divisions.
The national tournament marked the culmination of months of regional qualifiers across Belize’s north, central, west, and south divisions. Teams advanced through home-and-away matches, with SPJC and CEMJC qualifying from the central/northern regions, UB from the west, and IJC from the south. Admission fees of $5 for adults and $2 for children encouraged community turnout and support.
Arturo Acosta, Vice President of the ATLIB Sports Committee, described the event as the final stage of a nationwide competition, noting that teams compete regionally before advancing to the national level. Committee President Faustino Yaxcal echoed this, highlighting the structured regional format leading to the finals. Both officials commended SPJC and the San Pedro community for hosting the tournament despite the weather challenges.
Organizers also expressed interest in expanding opportunities for tertiary athletes. Acosta noted that financial constraints currently limit participation in national-level competition, but efforts are underway to create pathways similar to those available at the secondary school level. UB’s strong performance, highlighted by MVPs Aaliyah Herbert in the women’s division and Enfield Coleman in the men’s division, underscores the potential for further investment in college sports and future international exposure.
 National Football Championships 2026 took place over two days, March 27th–28th.){kind=link}