National Sepak Takraw Squad Eyes Elusive Thai King’s Cup Title In 2027

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 – Having secured historic victories across the SEA Games, World Cup, and Asian Games, the Malaysian national sepak takraw squad has set its sights on capturing the prestigious Thai King’s Cup next year.

Malaysian Sepaktakraw Federation (PSM) President Datuk Mohd Sumali Reduan stated that bringing home the King’s Cup remains his primary mission for 2027 to complete the national team’s remarkable international run.

Speaking to Bernama, Sumali confirmed that Malaysia will target at least one gold medal in the team regu, regu, or quadrant events, without ruling out a broader sweep across multiple categories.

The national squad last won the Thai King’s Cup in 1988 in the team regu event. In the August 2026 edition in Bangkok, the Ahmad Jais Baharun-coached squad finished as runners-up after falling 0-2 to hosts Thailand in the final.

Historic Multi-Tournament Achievements and Rivalry Dynamics

PSM highlighted the team’s historic accomplishments and competitive progress against arch-rivals Thailand:

• 2025 Bangkok SEA Games Double: Malaysia achieved a historic breakthrough on Thai soil during the 2025 SEA Games in Bangkok, capturing gold medals in both the men’s team regu and men’s regu events.
• 2026 KL World Cup Triumph: The Golden Tigers maintained their dominant form by winning the men’s team regu title at the 2026 Sepak Takraw World Cup in Kuala Lumpur in May.
• 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Milestone: The team ended a 36-year drought at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games in Japan by reclaiming the gold medal in the men’s team regu event.
• Overcoming Historical Disappointment: Sumali noted that while the Thai King’s Cup title has remained elusive, beating Thailand on their home turf during the 2025 SEA Games demonstrated that Malaysia possesses the tactical ability to defeat their traditional rivals consistently.

PSM and coaching staff will outline conditioning programs and tournament schedules to prepare the national squad for the upcoming 2027 competitive calendar.

–NMT