Malaysia will attempt to end a 36-year wait to reclaim the men’s regu team sepak takraw gold medal at the Asian Games as they face off against long-time rivals Thailand in the final at Nagoya City Mizuho Park Gymnasium.
The two teams meet on September 25, 2026, in a matchup that rekindles a historic rivalry. Malaysia last won the event when sepak takraw debuted at the 1990 Beijing Asian Games, with national head coach Ahmad Jais Baharun part of that gold medal-winning squad. Since then, Thailand has established dominance in the men’s regu team competition, consistently finishing ahead of Malaysia in multiple editions. Malaysia has collected seven silver medals and a bronze—at the 2014 Incheon Games—during the intervening years.
Jais, now leading the national team, emphasized the significance of the final and urged his players to seize the opportunity to end the long title drought. “The gold medal is there to be won. Whoever performs better and makes fewer mistakes will have the better chance,” he said. He stressed the need for an aggressive and attacking approach, warning against giving Thailand a defensive advantage. “If we sit back too much, it will give our opponents the chance to defend and launch counter-attacks,” Jais explained.
Malaysia advanced to the final after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Indonesia in the semifinals, where they overcame an early deficit. Indonesia took the first regu 15-10, 13-15, 13-15. Malaysia’s second regu responded with a 15-10, 15-6 win, leveling the tie. The outcome then rested on Malaysia’s third regu, which rallied from a set down to win 11-15, 15-11, 15-11 in a dramatic finish. Jais acknowledged areas for improvement despite the win, noting the team’s determination in coming back from trailing positions.
Thailand secured its spot in the final with a straightforward 3-0 victory over host nation Japan, reinforcing their status as the tournament favorites.
The final promises to be a tightly contested encounter between two of Asia’s strongest sepak takraw teams, with Malaysia seeking to reclaim the sport’s continental crown after more than three decades of waiting.