Over 5,600 Players Make History at Malaysia’s First National BEYBLADE X Merdeka Cup
What many grew up knowing as a childhood game is now developing into an organised competitive sport in Malaysia, with more than 5,600 players taking part in the first national BEYBLADE X Merdeka Cup 2026.
Held over nine days from August 29 to September 6 at Sunway Wangsa Mall, the tournament attracted participants from across the country, including Perlis, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak.
The event also showed that Beyblade is no longer limited to youngsters, with players ranging from just seven years old to 60, alongside families and fans who gathered for the national tournament.
Organised by Kelab Gasing Beyblade, the Merdeka Cup featured two main competitive divisions, the BEYBLADE X Under-12 Category for younger players and the Elite Category for more experienced competitors.
A total prize pool worth RM30,000, comprising cash prizes, exclusive BEYBLADE X products and official merchandise, was offered throughout the competition.
8-Year-Old Crowned Under-12 Champion
Among the standout moments was the Under-12 final, where eight-year-old Aqif Nur Iman Muhd Fakhrul Rabbani from Pahang emerged as champion.
Making the result even more memorable, his 10-year-old sister, Arissa Nur Addin Muhd Fakhrul Rabbani, finished as runner-up.
Meanwhile, 24-year-old Tan Yi Xian from Kuala Lumpur claimed the national title in the Elite Category, while Selangor’s Maverick Chiong, 32, finished second.
The Elite Grand Finals on September 6 were officiated by Tourism Malaysia Senior Deputy Director Azmi Abdullah and attended by TOMY ASIA Managing Director Ochiai Kiyoshi.
Azmi also highlighted the potential for the competition to grow beyond Malaysia, suggesting that an international Beyblade Open Championship could one day attract players from countries such as Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan and Australia.
Such an event, he said, could contribute to Malaysia’s event tourism sector while supporting the Visit Malaysia 2026-2027 campaign.
From Community Game to Organised Sport
Beyond staging a major tournament, Kelab Gasing Beyblade has a bigger ambition, to develop BEYBLADE X as an organised sport in Malaysia.
The organisation is expanding its KSGB School Programme, designed to introduce BEYBLADE X to schools through structured activities incorporating sport, strategy, teamwork and personal development.
Students would be able to learn the fundamentals before progressing through inter-school, district, state and national competitions. Plans also include teacher and judge training, sporting modules and equipment packages for schools.
The long-term pathway outlined by the club is ambitious: community → school → district → state → national → international, supported by players, teachers, judges, tournaments, rankings and community programmes.
Following the turnout for its inaugural edition, Kelab Gasing Beyblade also plans to make the BEYBLADE X Merdeka Cup an annual event, bringing players and communities together during the Merdeka season each year.
With more than 5,600 participants already joining its first national edition, what began for many Malaysians as a spinning-top game may now be taking its first steps towards becoming a much bigger competitive sporting community.
