ASEAN Eyes New Regional Sports Events Beyond SEA Games

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Southeast Asia is exploring new international sporting events to boost regional identity and economic growth, as Indonesian Minister of Youth and Sports Erick Thohir urges ASEAN to launch competitions beyond SEA Games to strengthen cooperation and tap into sport tourism and industry potential.

Speaking after opening the Southeast Asia Ministerial Meeting on Youth and Sports 2026 in Bali on Monday, May 4, Minister Erick highlighted the region’s strength, noting its population of around 650 million people and strong economic growth.

He emphasized that sport tourism and sports industry could become key pillars for future regional development.

“We have a region of 650 million people, one of the largest in the world, with very strong economic growth. We see sport tourism and the sports industry becoming key parts of future economic development,” Minister Erick said, as quoted by Antara.

Drawing comparisons to globally recognized events such as the London Marathon, Boston Marathon, New York City Marathon, and Tokyo Marathon, the minister suggested Southeast Asia could develop its own signature events.

“Why doesn’t Southeast Asia have its own marathon? It could involve Singapore, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and others to create synergy in sports programs,” he added.

In addition to proposing new events, he stressed the need to reform the SEA Games to ensure sustainability and consistency. He noted that inconsistent inclusion of sports has limited opportunities for top-performing athletes, including Olympic medalists, to compete regularly within the region.

He called for stronger alignment among Southeast Asian nations and their National Olympic Committees to create a more stable and effective competition structure. According to him, improvements to the SEA Games should serve the broader regional sports ecosystem rather than the interests of individual host countries.

The Southeast Asia Ministerial Meeting on Youth and Sports 2026 is a high-level forum initiated by Indonesia. Held under the theme Strengthening SEA Youth Collaboration and Sports Diplomacy for a Resilient Future, the forum aims to strengthen strategic partnerships, youth collaboration, and sports diplomacy across the region. ***