Thang convinces Thailand and Malaysia to win the World Cup of Sepak Takraw

Malaysia's national team stunned everyone by claiming the 2026 Sepak Takraw World Cup title, beating Thailand in the team Regu category.

Malaysia's sepak takraw squad made a significant impact at the 2026 Sepak Takraw World Cup by overcoming Thailand to secure the championship in the team regu event. This outcome was widely unexpected because Thailand, prior to the tournament, was considered the stronger side given its dominant tradition in this discipline. However, home-court advantage and an explosive competitive spirit allowed the Malaysian hitters to deliver a highly emotional match in front of thousands of spectators in Kuala Lumpur.

In the final, Malaysia started with great confidence and applied intense pressure right from the first rallies. In the opening round, the host team quickly won the first set 15-9 before closing the round with a 2-1 victory. Their fast-paced play and excellent coordination created many difficulties for Thailand, even though the Thai team is renowned worldwide for its experience in this arena.

After losing the first round, Thailand demonstrated the composure of a top-tier team by regaining control in the second round. The Thai players performed more solidly in both defense and attack, winning 2-0 with set scores of 15-6 and 15-10. This result leveled the final, forcing both teams into a decisive round to determine the champion.

At the most critical moment, Malaysia once again thrilled the crowd with a sublime performance. The host team maintained focus and capitalized on the opponent's mistakes to win 2-0 in the final round. With an overall 2-1 result across three rounds, Malaysia officially claimed the team regu title, while Thailand had to settle for the runner-up position in a discipline considered one of their strongest.

Not only did they succeed in team regu, Malaysian sepak takraw also had a memorable World Cup campaign at home having previously won the quadrant event. Meanwhile, Thailand ended the tournament with a title in the regu event. South Korea and Indonesia also performed well, each earning a bronze medal after being eliminated in the team regu semifinals.

In contrast to Malaysia's success, Vietnam's sepak takraw team did not achieve the expected results this year. Their best performance was a bronze medal in the quadrant event. Vietnam was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the regu event and failed to advance past the group stage in team regu. This indicates that Vietnamese sepak takraw still needs significant improvement to compete with top regional teams like Malaysia and Thailand.