Football, Badminton & Sepak Thakraw has fixed their top 3 positions among 9 Most Popular Sports in Malaysia 2024. Explore 6 more in-depth & their achievements!
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Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia that is overseen by a monarchy. Sports are an important aspect of every developing nation & so is Malaysia. The most popular sports in Malaysia are an intriguing aspect of the country that we W88 experts enjoyed while exploring. In light of this, we’ve compiled a list of the 9 most popular sports in Malaysia. Are you curious about the sports that Malaysians enjoy? Start scrolling now…
#1. Football
Football is, by far, the most popular sports in Malaysia. No doubt, Malaysians are extremely conscious of the football mania, which is understandable given the popularity of the sport internationally.
The World Cup is the most talked-about issue, mainly among men, but there are lots of female enthusiasts as well. Malaysia has a national football squad, however, it is not particularly well-known or successful.
- National team: The Malaysian football squad is known as Harimau Malaya (Malayan Tigers), and even though they have never qualified for the World Cup, they do well when competing against nearby countries.
- Achievements: Its finest achievement is winning the AFF Suzuki Cup in 2010. The under-23 football squad also won gold medals in the Southeast Asian Games in 2009 and 2011. The Football Association of Malaysia is the governing organisation for football in Malaysia. Football has been popular in Malaysia over centuries (since 1921 more precisely).
- Popular Football players in Malaysia: Mokhtar Dahari, Santokh Singh, Soh Chin Ann, Zainal Abidin Hassan, R. Arumugam, M. Chandran, Hassan Sani, Shukor Salleh, James Wong, Abdul Ghani Minhat.
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#2. Badminton
Badminton is in the 2nd position as the most popular sports in Malaysia. In Malaysia, there are various popular racquet sports, but badminton is by far the most popular and also the most skilled.
Asia is a well-known badminton enthusiast and a hard competitor across the world, and Malaysia is no exception.
- Achievements: The national badminton team has won 6 silver medals and three bronze medals in the Olympic Games. Lee Chong Wei, Chan Peng Soon, and Tan Wee Kiong are the most successful Malaysian badminton players.
- Popular Badminton players in Malaysia: Lee Chong Wei, Tan Wee Kiong, Goh V Shem, Lee Zii Jia, Chan Peng Soon, Tan Boon Heong, Goh Liu Ying, Koo Kien Keat, Chong Wei Feng, Misbun Sidek.
#3. Sepak takraw
Malaysia’s national sport is Sepak Takraw. It is the 3rd most popular sports in Malaysia. It is popular not only in Malaysia but also in many other nations. A sport with 2 teams which is played on a badminton court among 2 to 4 players.
It’s similar to volleyball, except that players can’t use their hands. Sepak takraw is a visually stunning sport to see, with participants jumping extremely high and performing backflips. It’s essentially a mix of volleyball and martial arts.
- History: It was first played in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital, in 1960, but it is now popular in many nations, including Canada, Japan, and the United States.
- Achievements: The Sepak Thakraw squad of Malsyai won their 1st Gold medal in the year 1965. Their squad grew stronger with passing years & won 15+ gold medals till now.
- Popular Sepak takraw players n Malaysia: Azlan Alias, Harish Kumar, Mladenelli Mladenova, Anish Thamsun, P.V. Anand, Jasmine Chirac, Sreejith Ravi, Syahir Rosdi.
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#4. Rugby union
Rugby union is the 4th most popular sports in Malaysia. Rugby union, believe it or not, has a long history in Malaysia, with substantial involvement (more than 40,000 licensed players enjoy the sport).
The evolution of rugby tens, in which each side has 10 players, is Malaysia’s most noteworthy international contribution to rugby union.
- Achievements: Malaysia’s national rugby squad is presently rated 50th in the world. In Malaysia, there are about 300 clubs and 600 schools that teach the game.
- Popular Rugby union players in Malaysia: Azman Osman, Seru Pepeli Naqasima, Atunasia Lacadamu Takubu, Nik Mohd Shahidan Mohd Zain, Eto Vaka Saukuru, Harley Phillips, Faat Hor Rozi.
#5. Hockey
Hockey is the 6th most popular sports in Malaysia. Field hockey has a devoted following in Malaysia to this day. In reality, the country was one of the Asian Hockey Federation’s original members.
The Malaysian Hockey Confederation is the national governing organization for hockey in Malaysia.
- Achievements: In addition, the national men’s hockey team is quite good, as it is rated 13th in the world and 3rd in Asia. At the 2010 Asian Games, it was awarded a silver medal. The women’s team, which is rated 22nd in the world, is also quite successful.
- Popular Hockey players in Malaysia: Muhammad Razie Abdul Rahim, Jalil, Muhammad Marhan Mohd, Faizal Saari, Muhammad Firhan Ashaari, Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin Tengku Abdul Jalil.
#6. Motorsports
Motorsports are the 6th most popular sports in Malaysia. Malaysia is best known for hosting the Malaysian Grand Prix, a Formula One Grand Prix held annually at the Sepang International Circuit.
Alex Yoong, Fairuz Fauzy, and Nabil Jeffri are the most well-known Malaysian Formula One drivers.
- Achievements: Motorcycle racing is also popular in Malaysia, with Khairul Idham Pawi being the first Malaysian to win a Grand Prix race in 2016. A motorcycle Grand Prix is also held in Malaysia, known as the Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix.
- Popular Motorsports players in Malaysia: Alex Yoong, Nandakumar Puspanathan, Karamjit Singh, Fairuz Fauzy, Khairul Idham Pawi, Mitchell Gilbert, Douglas Khoo, Aaron Lim, Tengku Djan Ley, Akash Nandy, Nabil Jeffri.
#7. Cycling
Cycling is the 7th most popular sports n Malaysia. Cycling is a rapidly rising sport in Malaysia. Many Malaysians love cycling recreationally, although amateurs and professionals also participate.
There are multiple velodromes around the country, and some individuals like more challenging forms of cycling, such as mountain riding.
- Achievements: In international competition, Azizulhasni Awang made history in 2016 by becoming Malaysia’s first Olympic bronze medalist in a cycling event. Following that, he created history by capturing the silver medal in the Olympic men’s keirin final in 2021.
- Popular Cycling players in Malaysia: Azizulhasni Awang, Rosman Alwi, Murugayan Kumaresan, Alex Edmondson, Daud Ibrahim, Choy Mow Thim, Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom
#8. Paragliding
Paragliding is the 8th most popular sports in Malaysia. This is a one-of-a-kind addition to this list, although paragliding is popular with both residents and visitors.
Malaysia offers incredible natural scenery, and paragliding is one of the greatest ways to see the nation from a different perspective.
- History: Although paragliding is not technically a sport and there are no well-known Malaysian paragliders, it is gaining in popularity. It was first introduced to the country in 2005 as an extreme sport, but it has now evolved into a more casual pastime.
#9. Squash
Squash is another racquet 9th most popular sports in Malaysia. Squash, unlike many other sports, is primarily a competitive sport.
The Malaysian Squash Racquets Association governs the sport, and 2 yearly squash events are held in the country: the Kuala Lumpur Open and the Malaysian Open.
- Achievement: The national women’s squad, which boasts 8-time world champion and world number 1 in women’s squash Nicol David, has been Malaysia’s biggest squash triumph.
- Popular Squash players in Malaysia: Nicol David, Low Wee Wern, Aifa Azman, Rachel Arnold, Sivasangari Subramaniam, Low Wee Nee, Ooi Kah Yan, Wen Li Lai, Andrea Lee, Eain Yow Ng.
Conclusion
So there you have it, a rundown of the most popular sports in Malaysia. We hope you enjoyed them & discovered something new today. If you’re interested in betting on these popular sports, then take a tour of W88 Malaysia & signup to boost your bankroll with RM 30 free bets.
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