Who serves first in sepak takraw?
A · Advanced · The game · 1 of 5The court referee tosses a coin before the match. The captain who calls correctly chooses either to serve first or which side of the court to start on, and the other captain takes what is left. The sides change ends before every set, and again in the third set when one side reaches eight points.
How it works
- The toss: by the court referee, in front of both captains.
- The winner's choice: to serve first, or to choose the side of the court.
- The loser: has the remaining choice.
- First service of the match: by the side decided at the toss.
- First service of later sets: by the side that received first in the previous set.
- Changing ends: before the start of each set.
- Third set: another change when one regu reaches eight points.
- After that: service keeps alternating point by point.
The glossary has the coin toss, the change of sides, the alternating service, the tie break set, the regu captain and the match officials.
Tricky cases
A side served first in set one. Who serves first in set two?
The other side. The regu that received the first service in the previous set serves first in the next.
In the third set the score reaches 8-5. What happens?
The sides change ends, and play resumes with the service order unchanged.
Can the toss winner choose both to serve and to take a favoured end?
No. The winner makes one choice, and the loser makes the remaining one.
Is serving first an advantage?
Little, in itself. Service alternates every point, so over a set the two sides serve an almost equal number of times.
Why the rule exists
Lights, air conditioning and the backdrop behind each end can make one side of a hall easier to play from. Swapping every set shares that out, and the extra change at eight points makes the deciding set as even as it can be.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Start of the match | Decided by the toss | ISTAF Law 8; 10.3 |
| Start of sets two and three | The previous set's first receiver serves | ISTAF Law 10.6 |
| Every set | Change ends beforehand | ISTAF Law 10.7 |
| Third set | Change again at eight points | ISTAF Law 10.8 |
From the rule book
International Sepaktakraw Federation, Law of the Game 2024 (regu event, 1 January 2024), Laws 8 and 10.3 to 10.8. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the federation's Law of the Game (regu).