Malaysia has a diverse sporting culture and decent success in international competition across many sports. Due to this and its great sports infrastructure, the interest in sports in Malaysia is at its all-time-high. Here are five sports that are the most popular in Malaysia.
1. Badminton
Malaysia is probably the second-largest badminton hub in the world in terms of representation. Now, given the fact that the first place goes to China (18%) and Malaysia has 44 times fewer people than China, this goes to show you just how serious Malaysia is about badminton (14%).
This country is the home of the Malaysian Open, one of the most significant tournaments in this sport.
This is hardly surprising because just over 12% of the Malaysian population plays badminton, making it the most-participated-in sport in the country.
2. Soccer
Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, and Malaysia is no exception to this rule. When the national football team is playing (Harimau Malaya), the whole country is out to cheer them, but many great local football teams are active there. Most notably, there are:
- Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT)
- Selangor FA
- Kuala Lumpur City
There’s no denying that football is fun, whether you’re playing it, watching it, or even betting on it. While it’s illegal for sportsbooks to operate in Malaysia, it’s not illegal for foreigners to bet on Malaysian teams or for locals to bet via sites whose servers are not based in Malaysia, as more and more residents are doing. Fortunately, there’s a long list of betting sites on sportslensmalaysia.com for that very purpose, each offering competitive odds on Malaysian leagues, which just goes to show the popularity of Malaysian soccer leagues both in the country itself and around the world.
3. Hockey
Hockey is a surprisingly popular sport in Malaysia, and the Malaysian men’s team even won a gold medal at the 1966 Asian Games. In 1975, they hosted the Men’s Hockey World Cup.
The MHL (Malaysian Hockey League) is the premier domestic competition, and it attracts thousands and thousands of local viewers, with a sizable foreign interest, as well.
Due to this rich history and tradition, it’s no wonder so many Malayans have shown interest in hockey since a young age.
4. Cycling
Cycling is one of the fastest-growing trends in Malaysia. The sport is promoted everywhere, and more than a few government incentives exist to get this wheel rolling, so to speak.
Another thing to remember is that participation always plays a huge role in the sport’s popularity. Following a bit of a pro cycling scene could help make the sport more interesting. The country has the perfect terrain for mountain biking, which is another pro in its favor.
5. Sepak Takraw
This list wouldn’t be complete without Sepak Takraw, Malaysia’s autochthonous version of kick volleyball. Now, anyone who has already read that soccer and badminton are the two most popular sports in the country should not be surprised to find that a sport embodying the rules of the two is also incredibly popular.
It’s played in teams of two to four players on a small court with a special traditional ball that’s 5.3 inches in diameter. While the standardized sport is new, everyone agrees that Sepak Takraw amalgamates several traditional, local sports.