AUCKLAND, New Zealand : – The New Zealand Sepak Takraw Federation Incorporated (NZSFI) is pleased to announce that the New Zealand national team will participate in the prestigious SepakTakraw World Cup from 18-25 March 2025 in Patna, Bihar, India.
The tournament, sanctioned by the International SepakTakraw Federation (ISTAF), will feature elite teams from around 50 countries, including such powerful nations including the USA, New Zealand, South Korea, Australia, Malaysia, and Japan.
Allan Dumbong, a Sabahan, who is also talantang.com International Correspondent, will lead the New Zealand national team as manager.
Their key players are Myo Oo Sine (captain), La Bu Pan, Oo Reh and Floyd Morgan.
The team plans to arrive in Patna, Bihar at least three days before the tournament to acclimatise to the local conditions.
The NZSFI was only officially registered on 4 January 2024, but New Zealand has a long history in international sepaktakraw competitions.
The national team had already participated in four King’s Cup tournaments even before the NZSFI was officially founded.
Most notably, Myo Oo Sine and Chit Moe won a bronze medal in the Division 1 doubles competition at the 32nd King’s Cup in 2017.
The national team also participated in the 37th Thai King’s Cup 2024.
As the most prestigious tournament in the sport, the SepakTakraw World Cup attracts high-calibre teams, so New Zealand’s participation is a milestone for the country’s growing Sepak Takraw community.
Team manager Allan Dumbong said: “We will give our best in this tournament. We have good players. But even if we do not do well against some of the best teams like Malaysia and Thailand, we will use this opportunity to gain experience, not only in preparing for a top championship, but also in playing the sport at world level.”
The NZSFI’s mission is to develop SepakTakraw throughout New Zealand by organising activities for all SepakTakraw enthusiasts in New Zealand, identifying and nurturing New Zealand talent for international competition, providing seminars, training, and tournaments to promote the sport and securing sponsorship, partnerships and funding to support the growth of the sport.
Although still in its infancy, the NZSFI is expanding rapidly, particularly among the Southeast Asian communities that are familiar with the sport.
The federation is also working to introduce SepakTakraw to a wider audience, including Indigenous Māori athletes and students of all nationalities.
New Zealand’s participation in the 2025 ISTAF SepakTakraw World Championships was made possible through flight sponsorship from ISTAF and the Government of India.
The NZSFI expressed their sincere gratitude for this support, which has enabled the team to compete on the world stage.
Allan added: “As a young organisation we are working hard to grow the sport in New Zealand. With additional support from government agencies, private sponsors, and sports philanthropists, we aim to develop senior, junior and student talents for international competition.”
An important long-term goal is for the NZSFI to be recognised by the New Zealand Olympic Committee and officially join ISTAF to further cement Sepaktakraw’s place in the New Zealand sporting landscape.
The NZSFI is calling on government bodies, businesses, and individuals to support the development of sport in New Zealand.
With financial support, the federation can provide better training facilities, recruit new talent, and further advance New Zealand sepaktakraw on the international stage.
Allan Dumbong
+6402102348916
E: allandumbong@yahoo.com
