Malaysia’s national sepak takraw team is turning its focus to the regu event at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya following their recent success in the men’s team competition. The squad ended a 36-year title drought by defeating Thailand 2-0 in the final, securing the gold medal on Friday.

Head coach Ahmad Jais Baharun, who was part of the last Malaysian team to claim the men’s team gold at the 1990 Beijing Asian Games, called for renewed concentration as the regu event begins at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Gymnasium. The team is drawn in Group B, where they will face Vietnam in their opening match followed by Myanmar.

Jais emphasized the importance of preparation and mental focus, noting that both Vietnam and Myanmar have the capability to challenge Malaysia, having previously defeated them. “We have one day to rest before we start again, so we need to refocus,” he said. “We need to prepare well for each match so that we can reach the semi-finals and hopefully the final.”

Despite the recent triumph, Jais urged the players not to become complacent. He highlighted that teams across the competition remain highly motivated to claim victory and that Malaysia's priority is to advance through the group stage. “So far, all the players selected for the regu event are in good condition and I hope they will stay focused after winning the team event,” he added.

Malaysia’s representatives for the regu event include Syahir Rosdi, Mohd Azlan Alias, Aidil Aiman Zawawi, Zulkifli Abdul Razak, and Afifuddin Razali. The schedule calls for Malaysia to face Vietnam in their opening match, followed by Myanmar the next day, setting the stage for a challenging path forward in the tournament.