Malaysia’s Badminton Squad for the 2026 Asian Games Unveiled
The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) has officially announced its national squad for the upcoming 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The quadrennial multisport showpiece, which runs from September 19 to October 4, 2026, will feature badminton as one of its flagship sports. However, the team selection released by BAM has sent waves of surprise across the local and international badminton community.
In a bold move that signals a major tactical reshuffle and a look toward future team building, BAM has left out several high-profile stars. Most notably, independent men’s singles superstar Lee Zii Jia, Olympic bronze medalist Soh Wooi Yik, and mixed doubles standout Toh Ee Wei will not be traveling to Japan for the continental games. Instead, national selectors have placed their faith in a mix of top-ranked pairs, fresh doubles combinations, and promising young singles talent.
The Big Absences: Why Zii Jia, Wooi Yik, and Ee Wei Are Missing
The omission of independent star Lee Zii Jia is undoubtedly the biggest talking point of the announcement. Zii Jia, who has long been Malaysia’s top-ranked men’s singles player, was left out of both the team and individual event lists. In his place, BAM has chosen world No. 27 Leong Jun Hao and world No. 51 Justin Hoh to carry the country’s singles hopes in Aichi-Nagoya.
In the men’s doubles discipline, fans were surprised to see the name of Soh Wooi Yik missing. Wooi Yik, who formed an Olympic bronze medal-winning partnership with Aaron Chia, was omitted as part of BAM’s broader long-term strategy. Following a decision to split the long-time duo, selectors have paired Aaron Chia with Tee Kai Wun. This new combination will compete alongside Malaysia’s world No. 6 independent pair, Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani.
Meanwhile, the absence of Toh Ee Wei comes as an unfortunate necessity rather than a tactical choice. Ee Wei underwent knee surgery in Melbourne, Australia, about two weeks ago and is currently undergoing intensive rehabilitation. With Ee Wei unavailable, Cheng Su Yin—who recently reached the semi-finals of the Japan Open—has been promoted to partner Chen Tang Jie in mixed doubles. Joining them as Malaysia’s second mixed doubles entry are world No. 12 independent stars Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Lai Jemie.
Men’s Team: Fresh Singles Core and Revamped Doubles
Malaysia’s men’s team at the Asian Games will consist of ten players designed to offer flexibility across both team matches and individual events.
In the singles department, Leong Jun Hao and Justin Hoh will shoulder primary duties for the individual competition. To ensure depth during the grueling team event, BAM has included young prospects Eogene Ewe and Kong Wei Xiang. Both players will give the team crucial tactical options when adjusting lineups against tough Asian rivals such as China, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea.
In doubles, all eyes will be on how quickly Aaron Chia and Tee Kai Wun adjust to their new partnership on the big stage. They will share the workload with Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, giving Malaysia two world-class options in doubles encounters. Mixed doubles specialist Chen Tang Jie and veteran Goh Soon Huat complete the ten-man roster to support doubles depth if needed.
Women’s Team: Pearly-Thinaah Spearhead Medalling Hopes
Malaysia’s women’s squad will be spearheaded by world No. 4 women’s doubles duo Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah. As one of the premier women’s doubles pairs in the world, Pearly and Thinaah represent one of Malaysia’s strongest medal hopes in Aichi-Nagoya. They will be supported in the doubles category by the rising young duo of Low Zi Yu and Noraqilah Maisarah Ramdan.
In the women’s singles events, world No. 27 K. Letshanaa and world No. 37 Wong Ling Ching have been chosen to play in both the team and individual competitions. Up-and-coming players Oo Shan Zi and Eng Ler Qi have also been selected to complete the singles unit for the team event.
Rounding out the ten-player women’s lineup are mixed doubles players Cheng Su Yin and Shevon Lai Jemie, ensuring strong coverage across all matches.
Key Takeaway: BAM’s selection reflects a clear intent to give rising talents international exposure while relying on established pairs like Pearly-Thinaah and Sze Fei-Izzuddin to lead the charge for medals.
Complete Malaysia Badminton Squad List
Below is the complete 20-player squad selected by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) for the 2026 Asian Games:
| Category | Player Name | Selected Discipline(s) |
| Men’s Singles | Leong Jun Hao | Team & Individual Singles |
| Justin Hoh | Team & Individual Singles | |
| Eogene Ewe | Team Event (Singles Option) | |
| Kong Wei Xiang | Team Event (Singles Option) | |
| Men’s Doubles | Goh Sze Fei | Team & Individual Doubles |
| Nur Izzuddin Rumsani | Team & Individual Doubles | |
| Aaron Chia | Team & Individual Doubles | |
| Tee Kai Wun | Team & Individual Doubles | |
| Women’s Singles | K. Letshanaa | Team & Individual Singles |
| Wong Ling Ching | Team & Individual Singles | |
| Oo Shan Zi | Team Event (Singles Option) | |
| Eng Ler Qi | Team Event (Singles Option) | |
| Women’s Doubles | Pearly Tan | Team & Individual Doubles |
| M. Thinaah | Team & Individual Doubles | |
| Low Zi Yu | Team & Individual Doubles | |
| Noraqilah Maisarah Ramdan | Team & Individual Doubles | |
| Mixed Doubles | Goh Soon Huat | Team & Individual Mixed Doubles |
| Shevon Lai Jemie | Team & Individual Mixed Doubles | |
| Chen Tang Jie | Team & Individual Mixed Doubles | |
| Cheng Su Yin | Team & Individual Mixed Doubles |
Badminton Schedule at the 2026 Asian Games
Badminton will be one of the most exciting events at the 20th Asian Games. The competition takes place over ten action-packed days at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. A total of seven gold medals will be contested across men’s team, women’s team, men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles.
The tournament is split into two main phases: the Team Event followed by the Individual Event.
1. Team Competition (September 20 – 24, 2026)
- September 20 (Sunday): Men’s & Women’s Team Preliminary Rounds
- September 21 (Monday): Men’s & Women’s Team Round of 16
- September 22 (Tuesday): Men’s & Women’s Team Quarter-finals
- September 23 (Wednesday): Men’s & Women’s Team Semi-finals
- September 24 (Thursday): Men’s Team & Women’s Team Finals (Gold Medal Matches)
2. Individual Competition (September 25 – 29, 2026)
- September 25 (Friday): Preliminary Rounds for Singles & Doubles disciplines
- September 26 (Saturday): Preliminary Rounds & Quarter-finals (Men’s Doubles, Women’s Singles, Mixed Doubles)
- September 27 (Sunday): Quarter-finals (Men’s Singles, Women’s Doubles)
- September 28 (Monday): Semi-finals across all five individual disciplines
- September 29 (Tuesday): Finals (Gold Medal Matches) across all five individual disciplines
