What started as a trend in California in the 1980s has exploded worldwide, becoming a school-based sport. And the big surprise? Malaysia holds the No. 1 ranking as well as several world records.

FMT Lifestyle witnessed the Malaysian stackers in action during their training in KL Gateway Mall.

So, how does it work? This sport is all about lightning-fast hands and laser-sharp focus. The goal is simple – stack up and stack down as quickly as you can.

Competitions feature various events with different cup formations, such as the 3-3-3 and 3-6-3 stacks, with the cycle event adding a more complex 1-10-1 formation. Fun fact: Stacking cups are specially designed with a hole at the bottom to optimise airflow.

Chan Keng Ian of Malaysia, currently studying in the UK, holds the No. 1 global ranking in sport stacking. He’s a five-time world champion and a two-time Guinness World Records holder.

Together with Woo Xin Yi, Chan also set the doubles cycle world record at 5.603 seconds in 2024.

Malaysia currently boasts seven national stackers ranked in the global top 20 – but it wasn’t always this way.

Lim Joon Tatt, president of the World Sport Stacking Association Malaysia, spoke to FMT Lifestyle about their rollercoaster journey.

“We had very bad results in 2016, in Korea, at the Asian Championships. We sent many participants to Korea, and almost all of us failed,” he revealed.

But in the years that followed, they turned the tables completely and have sustained their winning streak till today.

“After 2016, we set a target. As Malaysian stackers, we wanted to build up year by year. After three years, in 2019, we went to the Asian Championships in China, and won overall champion. We have continued this result until now.”

Lim explained that he was first introduced to the sport in the US, before bringing it to Malaysia in 2007. After winning a tournament in Singapore the following year, he saw its potential and began introducing it to Malaysian schools as a co-curricular activity.

“At first, stacking had a bad image. People thought it was a magic trick, where you try to figure out which cup is hiding the object,” he shared.

“At first, only two or three schools in Malaysia accepted stacking. Many said no,” Lim recalled.

However today, the sport is enjoyed by kids of all ages, including those with special needs.

Brandon Low, currently ranked 20th in the world, shared how his journey with stacking began in Standard 4.

“I saw one of my classmates stacking and I got really curious about it. He introduced me to the cup stacking classes going on in our school. I joined immediately, got a stack of cups and started practising at home.”

The 22-year-old also revealed: “The starting journey was quite challenging because my parents were opposed to me stacking.” Why? “It’s quite noisy.”

But his results spoke for themselves, and Low never looked back. In fact, he said that beyond the cups themselves, it’s the tight-knit community of stackers that keeps him going.

“I want people to become united with a sport, and perhaps cup stacking is one of them.”

Just two weeks before the 2025 World Sport Stacking Championship in Switzerland, a national competition held at i-City Mall brought together around 300 stackers from across Malaysia – from Penang to as far as Sabah.

With the international championship set for April 27, Malaysia is gearing up to defend its title as reigning champion. Woo, record holder and currently the No. 3 female stacker in the world, has her sights set high.

“For this year, I’m aiming to be overall No.1 for the whole championship,” said the 18-year-old.

So watch closely – the clock’s ticking, the cups are ready and Malaysia’s stacking for glory.

Find out more at the WSSA website and follow WSSA Malaysia on Facebook.