THE Sangam World Cup final made history as two sets of triple siblings featured for opposing teams, a first for any Fijian football tournament.
Nadi claimed its maiden Sangam World Cup title with a thrilling 3–2 victory over 2014 champions Lautoka, in a match that kept fans on edge from start to finish.
Brothers Immanuel Moses Prakash and Samuela Gavo Prakash turned out for Nadi, while their sibling Simon Junior Prakash represented Lautoka.
Also starring for Lautoka were Raj, Shiva, and James Pillay, another trio of brothers.
Both sets of siblings hail from Waiyavi, Lautoka, where their fathers once played for the renowned Waiyavi Brothers Club before going on to represent Lautoka in age-group and district competitions.
The Prakash brothers’ father, Simon Anand Prakash, represented the Lautoka district between 1988 and 1998, and was known for his strong defensive traits for both the district and Lautoka Sangam teams.
The Pillay brothers’ late father, Surya Narayan Bui, was a solid defender who represented Lautoka U19 in 1989 and won several Sangam Inter-District Championships with the district side.
Simon Anand said he was proud to see both sets of brothers continue the family legacy.
“Naren and I grew up and played together for the Lautoka Premier and Sangam teams, now it’s our boys’ turn. I’m happy for them,” said Anand.
While all six brothers previously represented Lautoka, Immanuel and Samuela Prakash switched allegiance to Nadi for this year’s tournament.
James Pillay was also part of Rewa’s 2025 FMF Inter-District Championship-winning team, which beat hosts Ba 1–0 at Govind Park, while Raj featured for Ba and Shiva for Lautoka during the domestic season.
“Naren’s blessing is with the boys. Sadly, he isn’t here to witness his sons doing so well in football,” Anand added.
Samuela Prakash capped off a remarkable tournament by scoring a hat-trick in the final, guiding Nadi Sangam to its first-ever Sangam World Cup title.
