Sepang International Circuit to host 2026 Malaysia Games opening ceremony
The 2026 Selangor Malaysia Games (Sukma) opening ceremony will be held at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC), marking the first time in history the event will be staged outside a stadium.
SIC will also feature in the road cycling events, serving as either the start or finish line. Track cycling events will take place at the Nilai Velodrome in Negeri Sembilan.
Selangor Youth, Sports and Entrepreneurship Committee chairman Mohd Najwan Halimi said the idea to hold the opening ceremony at SIC was aimed at creating something different. The inspiration came partly from the Paris Olympics, which held its opening ceremony on the Seine River.
Mohd Najwan, who met senior editors and journalists in Setia Alam, Selangor, this afternoon, also revealed that the organising committee has approved upgrades to aquatics, shooting, and archery venues across the state, as well as to the Pandamaran and Petaling Jaya City Council hockey stadiums.
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No new stadiums will be built for the 2026 Sukma, which Selangor aims to organise within a budget of approximately RM200 million.
'As the main stadium at the Shah Alam Sports Complex will only be ready in 2027, we decided to create something different and memorable for the 2026 Sukma opening ceremony,' said Mohd Najwan.
'We saw how unique the Paris Olympics opening ceremony was, and we plan to deliver something just as exciting to showcase the state's uniqueness.
'Sepang International Circuit would be perfect. I can't reveal the plans yet, but we have more than a year to prepare. We don't want a clichéd opening ceremony.'
Mohd Najwan added that the exact date of the 2026 Sukma will be announced by Aug 15, when the Sukma Supreme Council is also expected to unveil the complete list of sports.
There will be 28 core sports, along with five optional ones.
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Among the sports under consideration are chess, Chinese chess, boxing, silambam, kabaddi, Muay Thai, cricket, softball, pickleball, and e-sports.
Joining Mohd Najwan in the media engagement were two officials from the organising committee – Venu Ramadass (deputy chief executive officer-cum-chief operating officer) and Selangor Sports Council executive director Mohamad Nizam Marjugi – who also shared the state's vision for the Games.
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