After Aichi-Nagoya, What's Next for Team Malaysia? Hockey Qualifiers, Asian Para Games and a Home SEA Games
From the Speedy Tigers' Olympic qualifying push to the 2027 SEA Games on home soil, here is the calendar facing Malaysia's athletes after Japan.
The Asian Games may be over, but Malaysia's sporting calendar does not pause for long. With nine golds and 32 medals from Aichi-Nagoya 2026, attention now turns to Olympic qualification, a quick return to Japan for para athletes, and a home SEA Games next year.
Here is what lies ahead.
1. Speedy Tigers: Asian Champions Trophy, then the Olympic qualifiers
Losing the Asian Games final 5-1 to India cost the men's hockey team the automatic ticket to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Malaysia have not played Olympic hockey since Sydney 2000, so the route now goes through the Olympic qualifying tournaments.
The first step is the Asian Champions Trophy in India from 27 October to 5 November. Captain Muhammad Marhan Mohd Jalil is confident about qualifying, while coach Brendon Carolan said the squad remains motivated for the qualifying tournaments, having identified penalty corner defence as the main thing to fix.
2. Squash: two LA28 places already secured
Squash makes its Olympic debut at LA28, and Malaysia already have a head start. By winning the singles titles in Japan, Ng Eain Yow and S. Sivasangari secured automatic qualification for the Olympic squash competition, Bernama reported, with Eain Yow described as the first Malaysian athlete to book an LA28 spot this way.
Eain Yow's ambitions are clear. "I want to be world number one, I want to be world champion, and I want an Olympic gold medal," the 28-year-old, world number 18 and based in Bristol, said.
3. Asian Para Games: back to Aichi-Nagoya
Malaysia's para athletes go to the same host region for the 5th Asian Para Games from 18 to 24 October 2026, with 18 para sports on the programme. The para contingent's chef de mission is Tan Chee Keong, and para long jumper Muhammad Nazmi Nasri was named flagbearer.
4. The 2027 SEA Games at home
The next multi-sport event for most of the able-bodied contingent will be the 34th SEA Games, which Malaysia will host from 18 to 29 September 2027. Hannah Yeoh, then Youth and Sports Minister, announced the plan in December 2025:
- Sarawak: main cluster and opening ceremony, 17 sports
- Kuala Lumpur: closing ceremony, 14 sports
- Penang: 6 sports
- Johor: football
A total of 38 sports are planned, pending final approval from the Southeast Asian Games Federation. The 14th ASEAN Para Games will follow in Kuala Lumpur from 17 to 23 October 2027.
5. LA28 and Doha 2030
Beyond the SEA Games, the main targets are the LA28 Olympics and the next Asian Games, in Doha in 2030. Chef de mission Datuk Mohd Sumali Reduan's message after Japan was that well-planned preparation lets Malaysian athletes compete at the highest level, but that the Aichi-Nagoya results are no reason for complacency.
Key takeaways
- The Speedy Tigers play the Asian Champions Trophy in India (27 Oct to 5 Nov) before the LA28 qualifiers.
- Eain Yow and Sivasangari have secured automatic LA28 squash places.
- The Asian Para Games run in Aichi-Nagoya from 18 to 24 October 2026.
- Malaysia hosts the SEA Games from 18 to 29 September 2027 across Sarawak, KL, Penang and Johor.
- Doha hosts the next Asian Games in 2030.
FAQ
When are the 2027 SEA Games? 18 to 29 September 2027, hosted by Malaysia across Sarawak, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor.
Have any Malaysians qualified for LA28? Yes. Squash singles champions Ng Eain Yow and S. Sivasangari secured automatic places through their Asian Games titles.
How can the Speedy Tigers still reach LA28? Through the Olympic qualifying tournaments, after missing the automatic place given to the Asian Games champion.
Sources: Bernama, theSun, Free Malaysia Today, Malay Mail, International Paralympic Committee