From F1 to the World Cup: How Anwar is using sport as diplomacy to put Malaysia on the world stage

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's strategic use of sports as a tool for diplomacy, economic activity, and nation branding is effectively repositioning Malaysia on the global sporting stage.

The recent Formula 1 event at the Sepang International Circuit and efforts to secure access to the 2026 FIFA World Cup exemplify how sporting events can strengthen international relations, stimulate the economy, and foster national unity.

Anwar's approach underscores the potential of sports to serve as a platform for diplomatic engagement, bringing global attention to Malaysia while promoting inclusivity and shared national experiences.

The economic impact, projected at RM1.3 billion from sports tourism and foreign spending, highlights sports as a catalyst for broader socio-economic benefits.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 4 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s approach of leveraging sports as a platform for diplomacy, economic activity and nation branding is helping position Malaysia back on the global sporting stage, according to an analyst.

Global Peace Institute, London senior fellow Prof Dr Mohd Mizan Mohammad Aslam said Malaysia had, in recent months, demonstrated how global sporting events could be used not only to entertain the public but also to strengthen international relationships, generate economic activity and create a sense of shared national excitement.

“Sport is often treated as entertainment, but for governments it can also be diplomacy, economic policy and nation branding rolled into one,” he said in a statement today.

Formula 1’s return to the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) after nine years and Malaysia’s efforts to ensure access to the 2026 Fifa World Cup broadcasts demonstrated how sports could be used to strengthen the country’s international engagement.

Mohd Mizan said Malaysia’s hosting of the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix from Oct 2–4 demonstrated the international dimension of sports diplomacy, after the Bahrain Grand Prix could not proceed at its original venue due to geopolitical conditions in West Asia.

He said the arrangement went beyond a commercial transaction involving a racetrack, as it was facilitated within the wider relationship between Malaysia and Bahrain, with the support of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa also travelled to Malaysia and met Anwar during the race weekend.

Mohd Mizan said Anwar’s attendance at the qualifying session at Sepang, visit to the Mercedes-AMG Petronas pit and participation in a reception hosted by Prince Salman further demonstrated how the sporting event created a platform for diplomatic engagement.

“Sport had therefore created a diplomatic platform. Leaders met, bilateral relations were reinforced and Malaysia was placed before a global audience not through a formal summit but through one of the world’s most recognisable sporting spectacles,” he said.

Mohd Mizan said the public response to F1’s return was equally significant, with around 95,000 three-day tickets sold by late September and SIC expecting sales to reach about 100,000, which would be the highest ticket sales recorded for races held at the circuit.

He said the event also generated significant economic spillovers, with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture estimating that it could draw around 300,000 tourists, including about 50,000 international visitors, while Hong Leong Bank Research projected an economic impact of approximately RM1.3 billion through sports tourism and foreign visitor spending.

“Formula 1 does not benefit only the circuit. Visitors spend on hotels, restaurants, transport, retail and tourism. Television coverage carries images of Malaysia around the world. International teams, sponsors, journalists and corporate leaders arrive in the country,” he said.

Turning to football, Mohd Mizan said the government’s decision to ensure Malaysians had access to the 2026 Fifa World Cup represented the domestic dimension of sports diplomacy, with football remaining one of the country’s most widely followed sports.

RTM and Unifi TV were appointed official broadcasters, with all 104 matches made available through the participating platforms, while the government allocated RM26.2 million to secure the broadcasting rights and strategic cooperation with the private sector helped widen access and distribution, he said.

Mohd Mizan also said that access to the World Cup through legitimate and accessible channels represented a form of social inclusion, as major sporting events could create shared experiences cutting across race, age, geography and income.

“Few things temporarily dissolve Malaysia’s normal social divisions as effectively as sport. During major football tournaments, mamak restaurants, living rooms, community halls and public viewing areas become shared national spaces,” he said.

He said Anwar’s approach showed that diplomacy today operated far beyond formal conference rooms, with Malaysia using F1 and Fifa to bring the world closer to its people while strengthening its position on the global sporting stage.

“Sometimes diplomacy happens through bilateral negotiations. Sometimes it happens through football and sometimes, at 300 kilometres per hour around Sepang,” he said. — Bernama

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马来西亚总理拿督斯里安华·易卜拉欣将体育作为外交、经济活动和国家品牌建设的工具，有效地重新定位了马来西亚在全球体育舞台上的地位。

最近在雪邦国际赛道举行的F1赛事以及争取2026年国际足联世界杯举办权的努力，都体现了体育赛事如何能够加强国际关系、刺激经济和促进民族团结。

安华的做法凸显了体育作为外交平台的潜力，它既能吸引全球关注马来西亚，又能促进包容性和共享的国家经验。

预计体育旅游和外国消费将带来 13 亿令吉的经济影响，这凸显了体育作为更广泛的社会经济效益催化剂的作用。

吉隆坡，10 月 4 日——一位分析人士表示，首相拿督斯里安华·易卜拉欣利用体育作为外交、经济活动和国家品牌建设平台的做法，正在帮助马来西亚重返全球体育舞台。

伦敦全球和平研究所高级研究员莫哈末·米赞·穆罕默德·阿斯拉姆教授表示，马来西亚近几个月来已经证明，全球体育赛事不仅可以娱乐公众，还可以加强国际关系、促进经济活动并创造共同的民族兴奋感。

“体育通常被视为娱乐，但对政府而言，它也可以集外交、经济政策和国家品牌塑造于一体，”他今天在一份声明中表示。

一级方程式赛车时隔九年重返雪邦国际赛道 (SIC)，以及马来西亚为确保能够收看 2026 年国际足联世界杯转播所做的努力，都表明了体育运动如何能够加强国家与国际社会的联系。

莫哈末米赞表示，马来西亚于10月2日至4日举办一级方程式海湾航空巴林大奖赛，展现了体育外交的国际层面。此前，由于西亚地缘政治局势，巴林大奖赛无法在其原定场地举行。

他表示，这项安排超越了涉及赛马场的商业交易，因为它是在马来西亚和巴林之间更广泛的关系框架内促成的，并得到了马来西亚国王苏丹易卜拉欣和巴林国王哈马德·本·伊萨·阿勒哈利法的支持。

巴林王储兼首相萨勒曼·本·哈马德·阿勒哈利法亲王也前往马来西亚，并在比赛周末期间会见了安瓦尔。

莫哈末米赞表示，安华出席雪邦的排位赛、参观梅赛德斯-AMG Petronas车队维修站以及参加萨勒曼王子主持的招待会，进一步表明体育赛事如何为外交接触创造了平台。

“因此，体育创造了一个外交平台。各国领导人会面，双边关系得到加强，马来西亚也通过一项世界上最知名的体育赛事之一，而非正式峰会，被推到了全球观众面前，”他说。

莫哈末·米赞表示，公众对F1回归的反应同样显著，截至9月底，已售出约95000张三日通票，雪兰莪国际赛道预计销量将达到约100000张，这将是该赛道举办的比赛有史以来最高的门票销量。

他表示，该活动还产生了显著的经济溢出效应，旅游、艺术和文化部估计，该活动可能会吸引约 30 万名游客，其中包括约 5 万名国际游客，而丰隆银行研究部预测，通过体育旅游和外国游客的消费，该活动将带来约 13 亿令吉的经济影响。

“一级方程式赛车带来的益处不仅限于赛道本身。游客会在酒店、餐厅、交通、零售和旅游业方面消费。电视转播将马来西亚的形象传播到世界各地。国际车队、赞助商、记者和企业领导人也会来到马来西亚，”他说道。

谈到足球，莫哈末·米赞表示，政府决定确保马来西亚人能够观看 2026 年国际足联世界杯，这体现了体育外交的国内层面，因为足球仍然是该国最受欢迎的体育运动之一。

他说，马来西亚广播电视公司（RTM）和Unifi TV被指定为官方转播商，所有104场比赛都可通过参与平台观看，而政府拨款2620万令吉以确保转播权，与私营部门的战略合作有助于扩大收视范围和发行渠道。

莫哈末·米赞还表示，通过合法便捷的渠道观看世界杯代表着一种社会包容，因为大型体育赛事可以创造跨越种族、年龄、地域和收入的共同体验。

他说：“很少有事情能像体育那样有效地暂时化解马来西亚正常的社会隔阂。在大型足球赛事期间，嘛嘛档餐厅、客厅、社区会堂和公共观赛区都变成了共享的全国性空间。”

他表示，安华的做法表明，如今的外交运作远远超出了正式的会议室，马来西亚利用F1和国际足联拉近了世界与马来西亚人民的距离，同时加强了其在全球体育舞台上的地位。

“有时候外交是通过双边谈判实现的，有时候是通过足球，有时候则是在雪邦赛道上以每小时300公里的速度进行，”他说道。——马新社

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