The 33rd Southeast Asian Games brought together thousands of athletes in Thailand, marking a historic return to the birthplace of the regional sporting event
From 9 to 20 December 2025, Southeast Asia came together to celebrate sporting excellence at the 33rd SEA Games, hosted by Thailand. The Games were staged across Bangkok and Chonburi, returning to the country where the regional multi-sport event was first held in 1959, highlighting both its heritage and continued relevance.
A total of 13,657 athletes competed across 50 medal sports, encompassing a wide range of Olympic disciplines alongside traditional local sports unique to the region. The scale and diversity of the programme reflected the growing competitiveness and inclusivity of sport across Southeast Asia.
The Games featured participation from 10 nations: host country Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar, Vietnam, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Brunei Darussalam, and the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. Cambodia withdrew its delegation on 10 December, citing safety concerns.
Thailand marked its home Games with a landmark performance, setting a new national record by securing 233 gold medals and finishing with a total of 499 medals overall. The strong showing reinforced the host nation’s position as a regional sporting powerhouse.
Badminton was the first sport to award medals at the Games, with Singapore claiming the first medal of the event after securing bronze in the women’s team competition. The SEA Games concluded with sepak takraw as the final medal event, where Malaysia captured the closing gold medal of the tournament.
Source: Olympics
